Paul Maurice Bentz

Can you say "RENAISSANCE MAN"?

I started being creative with pastels and paints and clay in my thirties, and at that time I was reminded that as a child I had exhibited some skill in art class and, like most of us when we were younger, a general fearlessness in expressing myself through art. 

This all happened after my working and family life was in full swing.  Then illness hit soon afterwards and I required hospitalization.  To lift my spirits and help me pass the time, my wife, Valerie, brought me some molding clay and pastels (how did she know?) and, since then, I’ve spent a good deal of my spare time in what the whole family calls my “workshop,” painting and sculpting and creating, and, basically thinking a lot about just about everything.

Travelling to and reading about other cultures is a passion of mine and my artistic endeavours seemed to allow me a tactile and very personal outlet to celebrate these interests.  I didn’t have time for art school, so I learned to paint and sculpt and do other artistic processes through trial and error, which was, I assure you, much more than half the fun of it.  Sometimes I surprised myself, but most times I simply felt (and still do) that anyone could do what I was spending my time at if they did just that – spent the time.

If you take a look at my gallery, you’ll notice that I have a passion for Egypt, interesting and beautiful faces, some of the masters, and projects that challenged me to create something from scratch - just for the sheer joy of seeing if I could. One of my family nicknames is “Mr. Anonymous” because I’m well-known for trying not to draw attention to myself or the things I create.  (In fact, I’m not even writing this bio – one of my kids is!)  But, that’s not to say I don’t want the opinions and support of others.  It was always hard for me to create something and show others what I’ve made.  I guess it’s safe to say that, given this website, I’ve gotten over that.