About the artist
Ben Gill is a published author, playwright, and exhibiting artist based in Phoenix, Arizona. Born
and raised in the deserts of the Southwest, he developed an early fascination with mythology,
ancient civilizations, science fiction, and fantasy—interests that continue to shape both his
artwork and his writing. Dragons, satyrs, faeries, and other mythic beings appear throughout his
paintings and illustrations, and are woven into the stories he has shared with friends, family, and
readers for decades.
From 2003 to 2016, Ben exhibited regularly in the downtown Phoenix First Fridays art scene,
most often at Gallery Celtica, the studio of his friend and mentor Ira Hayden. In 2011, he became
the Art Chairman at the One Voice Community Center in central Phoenix, where he worked to
connect local artists with the community until the center’s closure.
A lifelong lover of fantasy literature, Ben drew inspiration from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K.
Rowling, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Jim Butcher. From these influences—and from the vaults of
his own imagination—he created an alternate Earth-like reality filled with magic, humor, and
mythic depth.
His first illustrated novel, The Clockwork Ninja, was published in 2010. The Genesis Curse, the
second book in the Avatar Wars series, followed in 2014. He is currently crafting the third
installment, The Temple of the Saurian King. Ben painted the covers for both published books
and created many of the interior illustrations as well.
In addition to his novels, Ben has written two plays—Tales From the Clockwork Shadows and
Cask and Crypt—both of which were performed in local Phoenix theaters. He has since returned
to exhibiting his artwork regularly at venues throughout the Phoenix area.
Across all his creative work, Ben Gill continues to explore the intersection of myth, magic, and
imagination, inviting audiences into worlds where the fantastical feels vividly, irresistibly real.
Statement from the Artist
People often ask why I make art. Why do birds fly? Why do wolves lift their voices to the moon? I
believe any artiste has to create. And by “artiste,” I mean all of us—painters, musicians, poets, dancers,
writers—anyone driven by that inner current that demands expression. We’re like batteries constantly
charged with creative energy, and if we don’t release it, we’ll explode. I have to paint. I have to write. I
have to make things. I can’t do otherwise.
I’m predominantly a realist. I haven’t ventured far into abstraction or surrealism, so I’m rarely asked,
“What does this represent?” Instead, I hope viewers feel the emotion in the portrait—the sorrow, the
joy, the spark I worked so hard to capture. I want people to ask themselves, “What do I feel when I look
at this?” And when they ask me how I did it, I usually have to shrug and admit I’m not entirely sure
myself.
I often use iridescent paints that shift with the light and the viewer’s movement—something nearly
impossible to capture in a photograph. In person, the artwork interacts with you. Artists are illusionists,
after all. Creating perspective is one thing, but making a painting look like you could reach into it, or like
it spirals back into the wall, is magic. I love watching someone walk past one of my pieces, glance up,
then retrace their steps just to see it change.
I’m drawn to mythic, mystic, Celtic, and Pagan motifs, so you’ll find satyrs, djinn, faeries, warriors, and
other beings in my work. These are the places and creatures only I can see—brought into the world
through pen, pencil, and paint. They’re the special things I can share, and I hope you enjoy them.
Gallery
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