collection piece: Benjamine Lester
dandy collection piece #00010 :: TITLE :: prints now available in the shop.
Benjamine Lester was one of the first artists I interacted with when I started developing article ideas for the launch of this website over a year ago. He’d painted an engaging portrait I saw online, of super-liberal, gay Pennsylvania State Representative, Brian Sims. Then I realized, he’d also painted a piece from a now-famous photo of Rep. Sims “flipping the bird” to Mike Pence, and I remember thinking to myself: “Oh, he gets it.” [read article here]
His work is tastefully erotic, like a super-horny wolf in “fine-art” sheep’s clothing, and he has a beautiful technique in a style that commands respect from even the casually homophobic. I’m honored to have had the pleasure of getting to know him better, and so glad he agreed to paint this exceptional piece to include in our collection.
Your work in five words or less?
Caravaggio meets Thomas of Finland
Where do you live?
I live in Dallas, Texas- Oak Lawn in the heart of Boyz Town. I think living amongst the gay community here in Dallas gives me a connection to the work I want to create in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Where do you make art?
I have an in-home studio I work from daily. This allows me to be closely supervised by my manager, a pitbull named Roxy. She is my second greatest critic, next to myself. She is also one of my greatest supporters.
Turn Ons?
Beautiful and kind men, a great ass, a cup of turmeric tea, just to name a few. It’s important to find the things in life that give you purpose, in whatever way you find meaningful. I feel blessed to have an amazing man in my life who makes me feel special, and participates in many great orgasms with me. Of course, painting is a driving motivation for my existence.
Turn Offs?
I hate bananas. Can’t stand the things, even artificial banana flavoring. I hate closets- not the ones you put your clothes in, but the ones we insist on for ourselves and others. A world without hiding who we are to be safe, and a world without bananas would be a dream come true.
Favorite subject?
Of course, if you check out my website, you’ll notice a theme. I am drawn to a man of a certain age, of certain wisdom and compassion I can translate into my work. I love to paint nudity- male nudity specifically. Give me a full iron beard, Muscular frame, and a set of oil paint, and I am in hog heaven.
Ideal place to display your work?
Because I draw my inspiration from the old Dutch and Italian masters, I believe my work breaks free of what might normally be considered appropriate places for displaying male nudity. My work has shown in museums honoring the soldiers of World War I, and hung in the offices of mental health clinics, peoples' homes, home offices, bedrooms, and even sex dungeons.
Favorite non-art pastime?
I love rollerskating. I don’t get to go jam out as often as I would like, and I’m certainly not nearly as agile as I once was, but I can rock out an electric slide with the best of them.
Most memorable project?
I’ve always been one to love my recent works best. I would say my most memorable project to date is the art show I just completed at Padilla Gallery here in Dallas, Texas. Daniel Padilla was generous enough to share space with me and few other artists during his fall exhibition this past weekend. Certainly the biggest in person showing I have done since Covid. Made some fabulous connections, sold quite a few pieces and even got 50 new followers on Instagram, it was exhilarating and I am exhausted.
Art Crush?
This is a difficult question, because there’s so many different types of admiration. There’s certainly work that inspires me and influences the techniques and direction of the art I create. Artists like Caravaggio, Vasquez, Ruben, Rembrandt and John Singer Sargent. All of whom command the use of neutralized colors and vibrant contrasts to Interpret the natural world. I’m a big fan of quite a few LGBTQ artists, like Kenney Mencher and P.K. Benbow, who push forward the genre of LGBTQ art in brave and exciting directions.
What inspired you in creating this piece for the dandy collection?
When you approached me with doing a custom piece to feature, I knew exactly the piece I wanted to do. The nature of the publication lends itself to a direction I was already building up the courage to go. Just needed that little push.
Did you approach the collection piece any differently than you approach your normal work and why?
I took this piece to a more sexual place than I have for pieces up until then. Connection is certainly a theme throughout many of my pieces, but this one deals with the connection felt after a deeply felt sex act. With the central figure resting his head against the still trembling leg of the standing figure, clearly in the afterglow of intense fellatio, a composition that wouldn’t have worked outside the constraints provided for the commission. I am so glad to have gone this piece and I feel the process has made me a better artist.
Personal Crayon Color?
Throughout the years I have been staring at and interpreting male genitalia in oil paint, I have noticed a particular shade of blue that I finally reverentially refer to as “Ball Sack Blue”. I would have to say if I could have that In a crayon box, I might consider switching mediums.
What is unique about your process?
I am a self taught painter having spent about a decade in my Chicago basement with my half-priced, used textbooks, cheap student grade painting supplies and a less-than-healthy ability to spend hours alone not talking to people. Coming out of this self imposed yet sadistically demanding auto-accredited doctorate program, I have emerged with a unique technical skill set and design sensibility that makes my work recognizable at a distance as a Lester.
Why make art?
Honestly, and I give this as a piece of advice to anyone that is thinking of pursuing a career in art, if you don’t absolutely have to create art then don’t. If everything in your being is telling you that you must be an artist, then put everything you are into it. That is why I create art, because I have to.
What's next?
There’s a lot in the works for me in the coming months that I can’t really talk about yet, but what I can say is I have an entire series planned that I am super excited about. An exploration of male connection, camaraderie, sensuality and of course male nudity.
click the button to see more work in Lester’s dandy gallery
original art (including pieces from this article) available on Lester’s website: lester-art.com
Benjamine Lester’s Art of the Male Nude, a book about Lester’s paintings by artist and author Dov Treiman, is now available on Amazon.
follow Lester on Instagram: @benjaminelesterart
