Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ben Junta. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ben, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Taking risks in life can be the difference between merely going through the motions of life and truly being deeply involved in experiencing life. I like the way some say that the only way you know you are really living is if you have fallen or failed. That shows one is willing to take risks. Taking risks offer no guarantee of success, but they also allow anyone to achieve greater heights in life. Without a meaning to life, without “a why”, life may cease to hold magic and wonder for all we can be, feel, do, and share.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I never planned a career in the arts. Had I not taken a college creativity class in basic drawing, none of this may have unfolded. A whole new world was opened to me by my first art professor and artist Squeak Carnwath. I went on to study with noted painters John Walker (former grad arts director at Boston Univ), Bernard Chaet (longtime Yale arts faculty and one time chair), Wolf Kahn, and a number of others. This foundation really helped me begin to get my bearings as a young artist. From there it has just been a road like most artists, most of all of us in life – filled with ups and downs, challenges, and times of great awe. I work in two modes which I am well aware is not the norm as far as the formal art gallery world is concerned. I paint both contemporary abstraction with hints to social commentary related to male cultural role models (www.benjunta.com – insta @benjuntastudio), as well as contemporary landscape paintings (www.paintscapestudio.com – insta @paintscapestudio). That said, for 20 years, I did not deal with landscape painting, but about a decade ago, while sitting out on my surfboard looking up to the beautiful rocky coastal outcroppings, I felt a strong pull to capture that as well. The landscapes were included in a summer 2023 group show with The Bridgette Mayer Gallery in Philadelphia, PA

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Without question, I wish we had had the ease of the digital world when it comes to the business side of the arts, but more importantly known HOW to use the digital world. Artists need to be so very proactive about their careers and the digital world helps to democratize the arts and who gets seen, etc. But it takes a system, a know how, to navigate all the digital avenues. And that is where, like it or not, a business sense needs to come in. Most of us did not understand this in the 80’s and 90’s. Those few that did generally advanced quicker. There are even legitimate art business coaches now. Instagram is full of all sorts of great info – I especially like (but don’t always agree with) the accounts @jerrysaltz and @jerrygogosian. It feels archaic to think that we once sent out tiny slides to galleries/art directors/museums etc.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My work is very much on a mission to address #toxicpatriarchy and #toxicmasculinity. I believe the traditional “old boy” ways of raising boys to men needs to change. Come on, look around at all the chaos in politics, climate, warfare, caring for the planet, nanoplastics now being found in our human bodies, gender equality, etc the world over. I don’t see many G-7 meetings, or other important geopolitical and geobiz meetings full of many elder (or younger) women included in ways to create change. I strongly believe we need to hear more of the elder and younger wisdom that comes from BOTH women and men. I see too many people, too many young men struggling in the world today, especially as they try to navigate this new digital world. I do not pretend to have the answers, but in my art I try to pose questions about what it has meant to be a man, and what may be better ways to learn to be a man in the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.benjunta.com  www.paintscapestudio.com  www.southbayartschool.com
• Instagram: @benjuntastudio
• Other: @paintscapestudio @benchandlerdesign