Talk about optimism. Landscape artist Milbie Benge should bottle some of hers and sell it. “I’m looking forward to my 70s,” she says cheerfully. “So many artists do their best work later in life. I’m sure it will be my best decade yet.” This positive outlook, combined with a giving spirit, does much more than describe Benge’s personality. It is the solid foundation for the good vibrations inherent in her artwork.

Known for sweeping rural country landscapes of Texas and the southwest, her style has been called “romantic realism,” yet it is never overly dramatic or overworked. Instead, her scenes have a timeless appeal that are pleasant to ponder and easy to live with for the long-term. Whether the scene is a tree-lined country lane, a panoramic valley or a glowing golden sunset, Benge is aiming for one thing. “My purpose as an artist is to bring beauty, peace and tranquility into the lives of others.”

Feedback tells her she has succeeded. When her art was being displayed in the window of an elite Beverly Hills gallery on Rodeo Drive, the gallery owner remarked that many patrons were drawn inside to have a better look. They told him the “peacefulness” of Benge’s work had caught their eye. On another occasion, Benge had the opportunity to meet golf legend Byron Nelson, who had previously purchased one of her large landscapes. She recalls, “He shared that he and his wife had hung it in their bedroom. It was the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing he saw every night. Upon awakening, he said it gave him a positive start to the day, and, in the evening, it brought him a sense of peace so that he could wind down and go to sleep.”

Such compliments of her work are not uncommon. Benge's talent for conveying serenity gives her landscapes an added dimension that she refers to as “a spiritual place.” Preferring to paint the quieter times, most of her scenes take place “in the morning before the activity of the day begins, or during the last ‘golden hour’ before sunset.” Seasonal settings hint at the changeable and precious nature of such moments.

The daughter of a Baptist minister, Benge was born and raised in California, but came to call Texas home. She explains, “My father had been raised in Texas. He was always reminiscing about it, even writing poems about its weather, the wildflowers, the mockingbirds and other things he missed. So before I even lived here, I loved it.” Today, her love for the state is apparent in her art, where the Texas landscape predominates.

Benge’s first foray into art began soon after she and her husband Reed moved to Austin in 1968. By then, she was the mother of two children, with a third on the way, but she still found time to take local art workshops. As her skill progressed, she studied with famed artist Dalhart Windberg. “He definitely helped me take my art to a higher level,” she says. But her real turning point came when she took a part-time job for aging landscape master A.D. Greer. “I ran errands for him and even read to him. In between, I had frequent opportunities to watch him paint, and he was generous with his knowledge. He taught me a more creative and spontaneous way of painting. And at a time when I felt I was wandering as an artist, he reassured me by saying, ‘Give it time. You will become sure of yourself. Your own style will emerge.’” His words proved true. As time went by, her confidence grew and her own unique artistic approach developed. More importantly, time has confirmed that, though her ability is a gift, the real blessing comes in sharing it with others.  

Her husband Reed relates a story that he says is typical of his wife’s talent for giving. “She and a friend were painting a scenic location near a roadway,” he explains. “A young man passing by in a pickup truck slammed on his brakes and got out to investigate. It turns out the scene they were painting was on land that belonged to his father, who had just passed away. As soon as the young man saw Milbie’s painting, he wanted to purchase it to place at his father’s memorial service. When Milbie heard this, she simply turned and with a few brushstrokes finished the painting. Then she handed it to him as a gift, along with a big hug. He broke down in tears.”  

Sharing peace, tranquility and serenity is what Milbie Benge’s art is all about. Now, if only she could bottle her optimism, surely there would be a market for it as well. But knowing Benge, she would probably just give it away!

Milbie Benge’s art can be seen at the following galleries and Web sites:  

Fredericksburg Art Gallery
314 East Main Street
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
830-990-2707
www.fbgartgallery.com

Griffith Fine Art Gallery
229 Main Street
Salado, Texas 76571
254-947-3177
www.griffithfineart.com

Riverbend Fine Art Gallery
710 First Street
Marble Falls, Texas 78654
830-693-6632
www.riverbendfineart.com