Margaret Benkis – Artist

As a young girl I loved to draw however marrying young, having a child and working full time, my  creative instincts were not at the forefront. During the years I was involved in ceramics while living in Queensland for 27 years. Ceramic studios were abundant and I learnt to mix and pour into moulds, shape and paint. I sold a few pieces so that I could continue creating ceramics and I loved this medium.

I was very involved in my career as a Mediator and I was also breeding and competing with horses so this took up a lot of my time.

When I moved back to South Australia in 2017, I bought a house in Mount Barker, and retired.  Deciding to get back into art, I attended watercolour classes in Hahndorf, however I was not comfortable with this medium. I attended a couple of acrylic workshops and then attended a course of oil painting at the Adelaide Central School of Art at Glenside. I loved oil painting and created a few pieces.

Keen to learn as much as possible in every medium, I was still trying to work out what was the best fit for me. While attending a half day workshop at the Paint Box in Hahndorf on pastel art, I met a pastel art teacher Kerryn Hocking. Since then, I have been going to Kerryn’s on a regular basis and I have learnt so much. I enjoy creating with pastels and I feel it is the most comfortable medium for me.

My Aunt is involved in the Tea Tree Gully pottery studio, so I have visited there and discovered I love hand building. I make fairy houses, enjoying creating detailed sculptures in clay.

My involvement with Top of the Torrens Gallery at Birdwood was through another Aunty who suggested I join. Through the Gallery, I have been able to sell my clay pieces and pastels. I enjoy meeting the other artists and I continue to learn so much by talking with them. My inspiration comes from watching Youtube videos and visiting other galleries. I’ve even entered art into the Mount Barker show with success.

My art journey and the learning it involves, will never end.