Benice Horowitz

STORY

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1940 and lived there until 1979 when I emigrated to the United States.

My story is colored by influences of two different countries.   Growing up in South Africa posed educational and environmental challenges as well as inspiration to express my emotions through art.   In those years South Africa suffered under boycotts and very little original art of masterworks from Europe or America was allowed to be exhibited there.   Books and reproductions were primarily how we were able to see art from outside the country.    There were however, many very inspiring and recognized South African artists who greatly influenced and inspired me.    Tribal life and the hot colors  of Africa really excited me and was reflected in the subject matter of my work.

I never thought that I could ever become a real artist.    My school years were very non productive.   Literal rendition of still life set ups were what was expected and my abstract and fanciful sensibility was mocked and debased by most of the teachers.   There were some exceptions who were praised me highly and that positive re-inforcement, although rare, was very influential and important.    After High School and Commercial College, my confidence in my artistic ability was low as I had never had any proper instruction and was not able to draw well.    I decided to set about teaching myself in secret which I did for the following decades very conscientiously and passionately. I bought every anatomy book and how to drawing book I could find and continued this way until I felt confidant that I could draw fairly representationally.   I found private teachers who were more enlightened and studied with them for many years.   I also studied at an art school which were very productive and inspiring years where I learnt a lot mainly about life drawing.  Then came the decision to leave the Country of our Birth.   That meant separating myself from art school which was very traumatic for me and I could not imagine finding another place where I could pursue drawing and painting without all the influences I had come to rely on.

Once in America I continued painting on my own and seeking out classes at different venues.    Then my world completely changed.   I heard about Silvermine School of Art.    There I discovered life drawing classes.   I remember standing with a graphite stick in front of a large backboard and drawing nude figures in front of me and thinking and wishing I could spend the rest of my life that way.    In the early 1980’s I met my teacher, Jakki Kouffman, who taught me in a way that validated me and gave me the tools I needed to be the artist I am today.    I studied with her for ten years and was accepted to the Silvermine Guild of Artists and other guilds and Societies including NYSWA.  Living near New York and seeing the original paintings was both life changing and inspirational.  It was a thrill for me to be able to join such a prestigious Group as NYSWA and to be able to exhibit in New York.     Today I teach art in my Studio and have accumulated many awards and shown widely .      It has been a triumph for me to have sought and found my own voice through struggling in front of the canvas and to find my own solutions and develop my own personal statement.