I am a self-taught artist from El Paso, Texas, and my work explores the emotional presence of living subjects — from human expression to the quiet resilience of desert flowers and animals. A Navy veteran, I began painting in 2010, discovering in the practice a deep meditative clarity and a lifelong devotion to creative expression.

Working primarily in oils and acrylics, I use bold impasto textures, palette-knife layering, and expressive color to create surfaces that are both tactile and deeply emotive. My palette and sensibilities are shaped by the landscapes of South Texas — sunburnt earth tones, radiant blooms emerging from arid soil, and the striking colors of desert sunsets. These environments, defined by resilience and stark beauty, live within my work.

My portraits and nature-inspired paintings are not intended to simply depict reality, but to interpret it. Through layered strokes and intentional abstraction, I aim to capture the interior world of my subjects — the spirit beneath the surface.

I hope my paintings evoke a sense of awakening to the beauty that exists all around us — often overlooked, always present — waiting to be seen.
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—Benjamin Carrasco