Ben Reynolds is an artist from Cambridge, MA who has been working with pastels for almost 15 years. He has long used photography as a means of capturing inspiration for paintings, but has recently begun using photography as a medium for art, as well.

Ben's work focuses on bringing out the often unobserved shapes and forms that surround us everyday. His pastels are rich with gradients of colors and distinct geometric patterns.

"My photography and image processing is heavily influenced by my experience with pastels. The bright colors, deep contrast, and smooth forms roll over from one medium to another. When taking photos, my eye is naturally drawn to abstract forms lying at the edges of our vision. When post-processing my images, I play the role of a sculptor; adding and removing light to bend the shape of the image, and layering on vibrant colors that mimic my pastels.

I enjoy confusing my audience by making paintings that look like photos, and photos that look like paintings. I believe that art is interpretive by nature, which is one reason I like to produce abstract pieces – I want the audience to see things in my work that I never intended. Art, to me, is anything that makes an audience feel. I hope you feel something when you view my gallery."

By day, Ben is a computer scientist and researcher who finds delight in the intersection of the arts and technology. See My Journey for the full story behind his evolution as an artist.