Wizardhat Studios - About the Artist, Ben Cohen

The artist is a psychotherapist who outgrew his chosen profession and became a full
time painter in 2004    Ben started producing images on his computer based on his
approach to psychotherapy and his life experiences as wilderness explorer, street
musician, craftsman, computer expert, car mechanic, blue water sailor, and astronomer
in late 2000. One thing lead to another and to make a long story short the artist was
discovered by Ernest Martin in early 2001. Ben had his first show shortly thereafter,
participating in a modern art group show during May 2001 exhibiting large paper artist
proofs. Encouraged by the strong positive response, the artist then spent the next
eighteen months producing canvases of his work, painting the edges of each piece to
finish it so that it could be exhibited frame less. As a consequence of his production
process the artist learned to paint. Simultaneously during this time period the artist was
learning about art from Martin, who after serving as a SEAL in WWII established himself
an artist in post war Paris and New York, and whose personal relationships included
Picasso, Hemingway, and Pollack, among others.   The artist
spent long hours in conversation late into the night with Martin in his studio during 01
and 02 about his life experiences and views on art.

The artist set out on his own in 2003 to begin exhibiting his work.   He participated in
three juried fine art competitions during the year using each show to refine his
presentation. A major landscaping project at his home consumed much of the artist’s
time during 2003.   The artist expanded into painting the summer of 03, finishing the self-
evolved mixed media piece “Conception” in September and started work on “Spiritual
Approach” in October.

After the New Year in 2004, Ben met Howard Lamar. After several months of contact
and conversation, an offering of mentoring by Lamar was accepted by the artist in
March. Spiritual Approach was finished about this time. The artist showed in Beverly
Hills during May at the city’s “Affaire in the Garden Art Show and in the Thousand Oaks
Art Walk in June. The remainder of 2004 saw the artist withdraw from active practice as
a psychotherapist (which he had been working at full time all along) and devoting his full
attention to his art with the opening of Wizardhat Studios in Ojai during June.     From
August of 2004 to March 2005 Ben gave painting demonstrations behind The Local
Hero every weekend. He was the featured artist at Ojai International Clothing, located in
Ventura’s downtown cultural district, during the 2004 summer and fall art walks.
Released in early November, 2004, Morning Winds was Ben’s debut CD featuring his
live flute performances in Ojai. Who's Next finished in early December was his fourth
painting and was one of his pieces representing the artist during a group show at
Gallerie Lamar during the 2004 holiday season.

During the entire year of 2005, Ben could be found playing the flute in the passageway
next to Movino’s on most mornings in the heart of downtown.   For 12 months, starting in
September 2004, Ben regularly played during the afternoon at the Brown Art Gallery.
He also played on Tuesday evenings at the Starbucks in Thousand Oaks Oakbrook
Center for 10 months ending those performances at the end of September 2005.    The
beginning of 2005 saw Ben released his second CD “3 Months Later” in early February
2005. Shortly thereafter, the artist met musician Christopher Currell, became friends,
and began collaborating with him on a number of projects.   One of which was a studio
recording of flute improvisations using 3D Virtual Audio technology developed by
Chris and Pro Tools which was released as Broken Heartwood in October 2005.
Recording sessions for this CD were made in March, May, and July.    Wizardhat Studios
presented Chris in a solo concert “Aural Vibrational Manifestations” during June 2005 in
Ojai at Meditation Mount.    These 2005 musical projects delayed the artist in completing
a Twist of Fate, his fifth painting, which was finish in late April instead of early March.
On July 12 the artist recorded his 4th CD, Wizardhat Studios - Yosemite Magic in the
tunnel on Highway 140 within Yosemite National Park and released it in early August.
The artist finished work on his sixth painting, Broken Heartwood at the end of July, his
seventh and eighth paintings, “The Living Rock” and “Sol’s Sea” in October, and his
ninth painting, “Departure Point” in early November, and his tenth, "Furious Peak " was
finished later in that month.   To mark the closing of the Brown Art Gallery in mid
September, the artist released his 5th CD ”Bag's End,” a collection of recordings he
made during his performances there that traced his musical development during the
previous 12 months. In October, the artist selected tracks from his first 5 CDs and
released the collection as “The Past Beginning”.

After spending 2 months relocating his studio from Ojai to the Conejo Valley the artist
resumed painting in 2006 and started a series titled "The artist is not responsible for
anything you see".   The first three paintings of this series were finished in late February
and early March 2006.    Painting number 4 in the series, which has the title "As You
Like It", was finished in early May.   Painting number 5 was finished in June.    "Ghost
Horse Riders" the artist's only painting with deliberate content the first half of 2006, was
completed in late February prior to starting the series.

The artist produced his first art video in April 2006, a fusion of his painting and music
into a whole greater than the sum of its parts, featuring the painting, Ghost Horse
Riders, and the track, "The Wind's Song of Destiny's Burden," from his Yosemite Magic
CD.    The artist produced "River Song" his second art video in May, which Chris Currell
provided the music for.   In mid July the artist returned to Yosemite and recorded in the
tunnel again.    The artist finished "They said it was done," painting number 6 in the
above mentioned series, in late July.   In collaboration with Sotto Voce Productions the
artist produced his third art video "Anywhere" featuring the music of Erin McCune in
early August.    In late August the artist completed "Eye Full," his first painting with
content since February.   The artist participated in the Thousand Oaks Open Studio
Tour in October.   By then he had completed paintings number 7, 8, 9, and 10 in the
“anything you can see” series.   He started work on number 11, a 30” x 48” canvas, in
late October.   It became the first piece of 2007 when it was finished in early March.

The artist again participated in the Thousand Oaks Open Studio Tour in early May
2007 which was expanded to enable the involved artists to hang two pieces each in the
Fred Kavli Theatre Art Gallery for a 3 ½ month group show that ended July 15th.    The
artist choose to exhibit “And Our Flag was Still There” and Number 4 from his series, “As
You Like It” as his two pieces.   The artist finished paintings Numbered 12 and 13
during May.   He exhibited his recent works at the Thousand Oaks Art Walk on June 2nd
and 3rd before beginning his next painting, Number 14 which was finished by late June.

The artist took a break from painting during July to finish starting up a mental health
program for at risk youth and their families that he had been working on building up for
the past 12 months.    He is pleased to pass on to others a functional program that will
serve members of his community in the future.     The artist resume painting in August
but was interrupted at the beginning of September when he was hired to produce
several pieces of art work for IS West's new facility and company headquarters in
Agoura Hills.     The result was four new "Art Images," The Art of Fire, Wake Up Call,
Good Morning LA, and Hurricane Point that are on now on permanent exhibit there
along with the number two canvas of 911 - And Our Flag Was Still There.     The artist
has resumed working on his current painting.

“Art Image” pieces are limited up to a maximum edition of 200 fine art paper prints.