by Dennis Dalman
Mick Benson, a master watercolor painter who lives in Sartell, recently earned what could be called the “Triple Crown” of painting.
Benson, 88, is a retired art teacher. A long-time Sartell resident, Benson now lives with his wife, Jessie Harper, at Country Manor. Harper taught sociology for many years at St. Cloud State University.
He earned his third gold-medal “Best of Show” annual award from the Red River Watercolor Society, based in Fargo. A jury of artists in the Society selected Benson’s entry painting for the highest praise, and it will be hung in an annual watercolor exhibition, along with 50 other paintings, at the Hjemkomst Center’s art gallery in Moorhead.
Benson’s award-winner was a painting of a totem pole in a wilderness area.
It is the third time since 2017 Benson’s paintings have been honored with gold medals by the Red River Society, which receives entries from far and wide throughout the United States. This year, for the current juried exhibition, judges considered 250 entries. Fifty works, including Benson’s, were chosen for inclusion in the exhibit.
It is a rare achievement to win three gold medals within 10 years from the Red River Watercolor Society. Benson achieved that feat in half that time – just five years.
Benson’s first gold medal was received in 2017 for a painting of an old windmill he’d seen and photographed in Denmark. His second Best of Show gold-medal painting, in 2018, was based on a photograph he took of a young horned owl that had fallen from a basswood tree on property he owns near Albany. (The owl recovered from its fall.)
The third award-winner was inspired by the many totem poles Benson and a stepson saw in northern Canada. While the two of them were in Vancouver, British Columbia, they toured a museum where they saw many stunning colorful totem poles. Benson said he was instantly awed by the designs and colors of the works of art. The stepson googled “totem poles” and found the locations of many of them in villages in northern Canada. The two men got into Benson’s car and eagerly set out on a long trip to those villages, photographing the totem poles that would later inspire his painting.
Totem poles are usually red-cedar logs, some as high as 40 feet, on which are carved stylized human faces, animals and other designs that evoke the mythologies, kinship groups, status and ancestors of indigenous peoples of what are now Alaska, British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Some poles also commemorated events such as deaths and historical events.
During his decades of watercolor painting, a sketchbook and camera became Benson’s virtual traveling companions right here in Minnesota and on journeys in faraway places: Greece, Spain, Germany, Denmark, England, Scotland. Soaking up all the sights, Benson became a wide-ranging painter with an extraordinary variety of subject matter.
Born in Worthington, Benson and his family lived in many places (Grand Forks, Bloomington, Alexandria, Sartell). After graduation from St. Cloud State University, he taught art classes for many years in high schools – two years in Windom, 18 years in Albany and at workshops far and wide.
Benson estimates he has created about 400 watercolor paintings in his life. But currently, Benson is doing art works using only pastel chalk sticks. Months ago, he woke up one morning in terrible pain with one side of his body virtually paralyzed. It was some kind of complicated side effect of severe arthritis. He has been doing therapy sessions at Country Manor ever since, but it will take a bit more time before he is able to wield a paintbrush.
In the meantime, he said, he and his well-wishers are looking forward to a one-man show of his watercolor paintings at The Whitney Gallery (dubbed “The Whit”) in downtown St. Cloud. He said about 60 of his paintings will be exhibited during the first two weeks of November. The Whit is located in a refurbished historic brick building more than 100 years old. Its address is 505 W. St. Germain St. There is no entry fee to visit the exhibits. Hours are from 4-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The museum is closed Sundays and Mondays.
This painting of a totem pole by Mick Benson of Sartell recently earned him his third gold medal from the Red River Watercolor Society. It is displayed in a watercolor exhibition in the Hjemkomst Center’s museum in Moorhead.
In 2018, this watercolor painting of a horned owl earned Mick Benson of Sartell his second gold medal from the prestigious Red River Water Color Society. It was his second gold medal, having also won the year before for a painting of a windmill in Denmark.
Artist Mick Benson shows off one of his favorite watercolor paintings Oct. 25. The painting is named “Stockton Island.”
Mick Benson travels one of the Country Manor corridors adorned with his many paintings Oct. 25. Residents have told Benson his paintings make the building feel more like home.
This photo of Danish boats was painted by Mick Benson and hangs cheerily in a puzzle room inside Country Manor.
