Regina Benson

Born in Lithuania and currently living in Golden, Colorado, USA, Regina Benson's textile creations emanate from the manipulation of and intentional mark-making on silk, rayon, cotton and industrial polyesters. Her work frequently starts with a solid black cloth, from which she discharges the dye, utilizing soy wax and starch

paste resists; then she overdyes with natural, disperse and acid dyes and rusts the surface further with found objects and harvested iron oxide. These markings are then oversewn, painted, burned and subjected to numerous processes to complete her artistic vision.

Much of Regina Benson's work is presented as large dimensional installations, undulating off walls and ceilings, inviting the viewer to feel surrounded by the art.

Regina's works are inspired by the natural vistas of her mountainous home. The processes of her work are frequently undertaken directly on that same environment - during all seasons, she marks her cloth on rocks, grasses and plantings around her.

Regina's mastery of traditional batik has given way to her current use of soy wax through various forms of direct application, both in her studio and out in the field. Regina's current use of soy wax relates to her concerns for environmental issues and the practical aspects of applying wax at moderate temperatures within the landscape setting. Within her discharge process, Regina's use of soy wax relates primarily to its resist functions; within Regina's rusting and iron oxide deposition processes, her use of soy wax relates to reservation and layering techniques.

Beyond maintaining an active studio practice, Regina Benson lectures on the trends of textile surface design, including her own innovations, and serves as guest curator for cutting-edge fiber exhibits. She continues to press the boundaries of contemporary textile art through strong practice of experimentation in the broad field of surface design. Regina's work has been featured in several art publications, has toured in numerous invitational shows, won awards at shows in the USA such as the National Quilt Show, and most recently won a jurors' award at the International Textile Triennial in Lodz, Poland.

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notes about Regina Benson Research