Melissa Benedek, Artist

Hello and welcome to the 67th 3 Art Questions With Jackson interview! This time I interviewed the inspiring New York City based painter Melissa Benedek. We discovered each other on Instagram and I am a really big fan of her work and the colors she uses in her paintings. I believe you will really enjoy her answers! Thank you for reading! (All images courtesy of the artist / Instagram: @melissabenedek_art / Website: melissabenedek.com)

Jackson: Did you always want to be an artist? Or did something happen later in life that put you on this path?

Melissa: Art was something I was drawn to growing up. I was exposed to it at a young age, being my father owned an art gallery in Soho in New York City. It was my comfort, my outlet, my vice, it soothed me. I went to art school at a young age, but it was always more like a hobby. I painted for years but again as a hobby. When Covid happened I was stuck in my apartment in New York City and started to paint again. Timing is everything, and I am painting full-time now.

Jackson: How did you develop your style? How do you know when one of your paintings is right or complete?

Melissa: My style has been ever evolving. It has always been full of textures and movement. I am drawn to beautiful color palettes and am considered a colorist. I am an intuitive painter, so when I paint, there is no plan. I pick my color palette and am led by the music that fills my studio, I paint from within. I take breaks to observe it for a while. After staring at it throughout the day, I see what needs to be added or changed and continue until completion.

Jackson: If you could meet any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?

Melissa: That's a tough question. I'm fascinated by a few different artists, and they are all so very different. Definitely Cy Twombly, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Georgia O'Keefe. Each one of these artists have such a distinct style of painting, and are also relatable. I would love to get to know how their minds work and the type of personalities they are.