A Conversation with Artist Larry Bentley
Finding the Artist Within
Over the past few months, writing down my thoughts and observations has felt like a form of exposure therapy. I find it easier to shine a light on other people than myself, especially at a time like now when I don't have everything figured out. Every month feels like an experiment, strategically planned but still untested. It has meant a lot to me to encounter friends and colleagues who have subscribed to my newsletter and have mentioned how much they enjoy it so if you agree please like and share.
One of my goals in growing the Substack is to create intentional gatherings of like-minded folks both online and ultimately someday in person. The in-person part is something I’m known for, creating events that bring people together, and making platforms for causes and artists. I’m finding my way through how to do this now, in a manner that feels authentic, self-sustaining, and useful to anyone who would like to come along for the ride. A step towards that is making space to feature the lives of people who have joined me or who I hope will decide to in some form or another.
This month, my friend artist Larry Bentley takes the spotlight. I’ve known Larry for around twenty years and have always admired his great taste and gentle elegance paired with a positive attitude. While working on the bustling and often chaotic Lenox Avenue, I was just a few doors down from his apartment giving me opportunities to run into Larry whose presence immediately elevated the surroundings. It wasn’t a surprise to me that he had latent artistic talent. What has been truly admirable, and uplifting is to see how he has dared to express himself and act on his dreams.
An avid traveler, I sat down with Larry last month after he returned from a vacation in Switzerland to learn more about his artistic journey.
Dale – Happy Birthday to my fellow Virgo.
Larry: I thought you were a Virgo.
Dale: Yes, I’m at the end of the sign, September 21st
Dale – I have this book on Frank Stella where he talks about the abstract expressionists, and he's talking about being friendly with de Kooning and Pollock and those guys. And he says I couldn't do what they do. I could do what I can do. I remember feeling that was very liberating because he's making these squares in squares, and yet we love those squares.
Larry – Right, and the thing that I like that I gravitate towards — this type of work that I do is synonymous with me. I like things in order. I like to color between the lines. I love the more loosely abstract work, but that's not me. I can't do it. It's too messy. It's too chaotic.
Dale: I understand. My personal struggle right now. That's a strong word. My exploration right now, and I think I told you this on the phone, none or very little of my work is on Instagram because everyone's advised me that it would not be wise, particularly since I'm interpreting my work to make collections for tiles and eventually textiles. I'm developing an exciting collaboration with a company in Galatina, Italy, Marra Pavimenti. I make these patterns that are in grids, I also mix flowers into the grids. It's all very organized and lately, I've been thinking, can I do things that are just a little freer that I could post and share with people?
Larry: You should post something. You gotta be seen. You've gotta get it out there.
Dale: It's a process, you know.
Larry: It’s always a process.
Dale: I'm really curious. How did you start? Were you painting as a child, as a young person?
Larry: No, never. I never painted until COVID.
Dale: You never painted until COVID!
Larry: I think I've said that before in different interviews, but yeah. It was only till we were going to be locked down. I'm like, what am I going to do with myself? And having worked at the Met, and working at Sotheby's, I'd walk around and see all these things, and I'd think I could probably do that. But the Virgo in me was like if I can't do it.
Dale: Perfectly?
Larry: Perfectly, yeah, then I don’t want to do it. But during this time of COVID, I’m here by myself thinking
Dale: What does it matter?
Larry: Yes, exactly. what does it matter? What is it going to hurt? No one is going to see it unless I show it to people. That’s what I just started doing. I went out to the Strand. This is one of the first books I bought Acrylic: Do More Art by Rita Isaac. I googled stuff. I practiced on cardboard. This is one of my ones from 2020. I really love painting on cardboard. I just started then and here we are.
Dale: Are you thinking about things outside of acrylic?
Larry: I would like to eventually venture out of acrylic. I like it because it is easy, fast, quick drying. Oil is too messy. I have dabbled with oil. I have one I’m still working on in oil. I’d like to try to venture into other things like gouache. I’ll get there.
Dale: Do feel that you have created a discipline for your work? Are you very regimented, like every week I must paint this amount?
Larry: I try to be. Now that I have most of the summer off from work, I try to paint every day. It is sort of hard if it is a rainy, cloudy day. Because I really, really need the sun. I find it hard to paint at night. Especially, come fall and winter when the sun goes down earlier. But I don't know. I think I'm a little bit, I think I'm disciplined. I try to do it every day.
Dale: That's great. I can't say the same for myself, but I've got a few crazy things going on.
Larry: And then now, especially, I've gotta get some new stuff into 3 different spaces that I'm consigned in so I’m trying to rush and get some things done.
Dale: And when you started the deal with Crate and Barrel and doing those prints for them, did they find you?
Larry: Um, how did this happen? I submitted something to an art group — an art consultancy group that handles Crate and Barrel's art division. I had forgotten that I had submitted this. And then one day, I got an email that they wanted to just set up a call with me. And that's how it all happened.
Dale: That's exciting. Has that brought more eyeballs to things?
Larry: I think so. And it's just crazy that started only in the two years that I've been painting and to have this collaboration with Crate and Barrel. Whenever I think about it, I can't believe it.
Dale: That's very cool. I was also curious how the consignment to galleries started, to just go from this being a hobby to having representation. I think people are curious as to how you do that.
Larry: Just from all the love I've been receiving on social media. People would make nice comments or send messages, which is still happening today, thank goodness. It makes me happy when someone buys a piece of my work. I know it's in their house. Or I see it in their house.
Dale: Is it hard to let them go, the works?
Larry: There's been maybe a couple that I wanted for myself.
Dale: Yeah, I can imagine. Tell me, I have been finding that sometimes I'm interested in certain colors, and then all of a sudden, I just don't care about them anymore. Do you find that you go through that? That you are excited about certain things and then that phase is over.
Larry: No. There are a couple of colors that I do like. But I don't get tired of them. What I like to do is use unconventional colors. And when I stumbled on that particular piece there.
Dale: This one on the easel?
Larry: Yeah, it just happened by accident, and I'm liking these colors. So, I did one. I did that one first, and then I got comments that that's unusual for your color palette. So, I thought, I'm going to do another one, using those same colors. I just like to try to paint something in unusual colors.
Dale: Do you have any real sense of what an exciting next step is or is there something else you want to see happen?
Larry: No, it just selling works. I think what's been good is the surprises that have happened.
Dale: Organically?
Larry: Yes, I just try not to think about what my next steps will be. I find that they tend to just happen organically.
Dale: Do you spend time figuring out how to feed social media, so people see things? Is that all on you still at this point?
Larry: It is, which consumes way more time than I want. I'd rather just be painting. I would love to get to a point where I can hire someone to do all these things for me.
Dale: It's coming!
Larry: Hopefully, it consumes way more time than I'd like to be spending on it, but it's necessary.
Dale: Larry, I want to thank you for your time in talking with me about these things. Because for me it has been a complete and utter inspiration to see what you've done in a relatively short time. I’ve been spreading your story around. I have a friend in Los Angeles who had a career producing films at HBO and now she makes these incredible ceramics. I shared your profile with her.
Larry: What kind of ceramics does she make?
Dale: It's called Otts & Kulcha, @ottsandkulcha. She makes all sorts of things and is also experimenting with ceramic furniture. She's very specific about the glazes that she makes, you know, very proprietary finishes. Like you, she is influenced by different mid-century artists, has traveled a lot, looked at a lot of things, self-taught. So, I always share your profile because I think people like us need to see that it can happen. I’m so excited to feature this conversation in the newsletter with our growing community. I’m certain they will be moved too.
Larry: Oh, absolutely. Thank you.
Larry Bentley can be found on his website, studiolarrybentley.com, and on Instagram, @studiolarrybentley. You can see Larry in person at Newel Gallery’s fall open house on September 18th at the Interior Arts Building in Manhattan. Gallery Preview is from 10 am-4:30 pm. Cocktail reception at 5:30 pm.
Thanks for the shout out! I relate to Larry's story because my ceramics practice really started during Covid as well. Our intrepid studio manager was determined to keep our studio at AMOCA (the American Museum of Ceramic Art) open and I was able to put in real time working every day. I looked at what I was doing as "my job" (since the tv and film business was pretty much kaput) and I think being consistent in my making and explorations during that period was wildly helpful in creating the aesthetic that defines my work to this day.