"How To Make The Best Use Of Your Time...If You Know How To Draw!"

A Bombardier CL-415 ( Superscooper ) 

Tanker #240 seated from runway at the Van Nuys Airport.

Sitting here with my first cup of weak coffee trying to make the best use of every SoCal hour. Yesterday, arriving a hour too soon to meet with an aviation buddy of mine for lunch, I sat in the car and sketched... what else, but an airplane!

Whenever I return to LA, I always try to make time to have lunch with my ASAA, SILA and AFAPO friend and part-time confidant ( of sorts! ) Mike Machat. We both enjoy eating at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant overlooking the Van Nuys airport runway and talking about old times and new projects while we keep an ear open for the sound of a big radial engine.

I was so tempted to Photoshop color it that big, bright, yellow against a beautifully blue California sky!

Copyright 2015/ Ben Bensen III

"No Texas Regrets For This Bayou Egret"...

Cowgirl egret... Geraldine!

A few months ago, a friend of mine was taking her show on the road to an art festival in Texas. Being from the bayou, she was a bit apprehensive about going it alone.  I jokingly told her to go ahead and buy some cowboy boots and a Stetson hat and she would fit in perfectly.

Whether Carol did or did not, I'll never know, but...

But, the thought enter my mind, that if she wasn't gonna take my advice seriously, ( and who actually would? ) that I would dress up her branding icon, Geraldine the Egret!

This is what I came up with in a few hours and sent it to Carol before she left for Houston. I think it lessened her fears about stepping outside her comfort zone... props to her!

Copyright 2015/ Ben Bensen III

"Messing Around... In Between Bites!"

An early Christmas present to one of my favorite servers!

Well, it's been a while, but who's counting? Apparently, not me!

This is a sketch I created in between bites of a Reuben sandwich at local eatery, Coffee Rani.  http://mandeville.coffeerani.com  Lately, when my wife and I have caught up talking about our daily exploits, we have another cup of coffee and pull out our iPads/ iPhone.

This night, she had her connection, but I left mine in the car, so I decided to sketch this "bayou gator!" I posed her trying to decide what to order from the charkboard menu posted on the wall. The gator is one of many bayou characters I'm refining for a possible painting for a local library. It was great fun and since it was a mindless doodle, it just flowed right out from under me!

Copyright 2015/ Ben Bensen III