Ben (@justben) • Collective gay friends app

Ben @justben

Thoughtful arty type in South London. Practicing painting, kindness, piano, gratitude... Looking for creative, genuine people… my tribe.

You can run but you can’t hide, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

London sunset 1/2

All beneath the sun, 2024 Watercolours on paper

The Rift, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

Self portrait in red, blue and gold

Flux, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

From the Edvard Munch exhibition at the NPG. This is probably the most psychological of the works on show, and the only one that really made me feel anything. Munch is one of my all time favourites so I’m quite disappointed at the choice of works on show. Where’s the psychodrama?!

Under the skin, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

The other English breakfast. Tea with milk Crumpets; one marmite, one marmalade It’s a 10.

It hailed today in London but it’s all good 🙃

Maddening in action, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

Spring is coming

John Craxton, R.A. (1922-2009) Shepherds near Knossos, 1947 I love everything about this; the palette, the abstract textures in the rocks, the carefree Greek men and those goats nibbling the barren tree. It is just so evocative. Definitely a painting I’d have in my dream collection.

HYANGMOK BAIK (b.1990) Country Roads , 2025 Baik is a queer Korean artist, based in Seoul. I love his poetic naïf style with themes of loss of youth, masculinity, comradeship. If you’re in London he has a small solo show of new work at Beers Gallery in Farringdon.

Give me back those moments, 2024 Watercolour media on yupo paper A piece about loss and grief and guilt.

Beautiful day for a walk around Kew Gardens

… in the dead of night 2024 Watercolour media on yupo paper

Fresh work, still moist and untitled, 2025 Watercolour on paper Should I just call it moist untitled… 😬

Matters of mycology, 2024 Watercolour media on yupo paper

London in baby blue and pink ❤️

#Ultra fresh work Indulging in a very quick and dirty bit of figurative expressionism to test the colour palette. I think I love these pigments together, thoughts?

We are making a new world, 2023 Watercolour media on paper

Bruegel the Elder flexing - insanely good monochrome painting (grisaille) and surprisingly modern in its cinematic feeling. Reminds me of the monochrome scenes of Dune 2.

Insentient nature, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, 2024 Watercolour media and chrome acrylic on yupo paper. A mirror holds them At the heart of the maelstrom All the many ‘You’

The things you people wouldn't believe, 2024 Watercolour media on paper

Nocturne No.3, 2023 Watercolour media on paper

Had to move most of my plants into one room temporarily and... Might have a problem 🫣

I don't believe in an afterlife as such. But if there is one wouldn't it be nice if it was like this. Acme, Melbourne

Van Gogh Vase with Five sunflowers, 1888/9 Lost in 1945 to Allied bombing of Japan The loss is a huge shame, this is my favourite of the sunflower series - the contrasts and shapes are wild! I have in mind a tribute - I think the forms and colours will gel perfectly with my own style. 🎨

Beloved of the birds and beasts 🧙🏼‍♂️

Otters / life goals Oklahoma zoo, 2013 Long before I started painting my artistic expression of choice was photography and i’ve got an archive going back over 20 years. I’ll share some of my favourites with you all, starting with this moment of love. 💞

A scan of a piece I shared before, yet to be named.Not sure I’d put it on my website, though I am proud of it and despite it being my most clearly defined piece (in terms of meaningful content). Much of my work is filled with allusion, but this I feel went a bit too far towards the literal. 🤷🏻‍♂️

So distant past 2024 Watercolour media on paper I feel this has a 1980s OTT post-modern vibe. I wasn’t thinking of that era specifically but when I get in a flow state all kinds of shit leaves my head through my hands. Which should be the title of my autobiography. ©️ 🤪

She’s so CUTE with her flowers in her fiery red hair! 🥰

Well. It’s done. 😮‍💨

Time on Insta 📉 Time on YouTube 📉 Time making art ➖ Time on Collective 📈 Time on NYT crossword 📈 So much for the thought of less screen time more art time. 😵‍💫 But then also; Interaction 📈 Using brain 📈 💁🏻‍♂️

How it’s going. Painting with hematite pigment is the true synthesis of my past (as a geology major) and present (as an artist). It also smells like blood so it is both fitting for my angsty geo/astro/bodyhorrological abstractions (to coin a phrase), but also making me feel very unsettled.