Within each of my paintings, I aim to celebrate and commemorate the life stories of my subjects and this can be achieved through a traditional portrait, a symbolic landscape, a still-life, or a combination of all three. It is the emotional attachment and significance of the source imagery that I find most important in producing a meaningful painting. I am also interested in the idea of creating Heirlooms, something that can be cherished and passed down for generations to come, leaving behind visual stories of the lives and legacies of my subjects.
My passion for portraiture and figurative art came from my early childhood where I grew up around colourful and eccentric family members who would tell me remarkable stories about their lives and experiences. One such early influence was my grandfather ‘Jed Edge’ who was a porter at Smithfield’s meat market and animal handler in his spare time. In 2009 I made a painting of him called ‘The Animal Handler’, which was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the prestigious BP Portrait Award.
If you are interested in commissioning me please do get in touch and email me at - info@benedge.co.uk.
Please click on individual paintings to view in larger scale and to find out the story behind each work.
Oil on Canvas, 25cm X 25cm.
Delighted to have created the cover artwork for Elijah Minnelli‘s latest musical offering ‘Perpetual Musket’ on Fat Cat records in an album that ‘fuses dub reggae with traditional folk, reimagining classic standards with a cast of renowned reggae vocalists to breathe new life into traditional and folk songs. Each track is paired with a live dub version that shines a light on the instrumental adaptations of these traditional Melodie’s’
“Elijah Minnelli’s rendition of ‘Lifeboat Mona’ is truly excellent. It is a moving mixture of percussion, harmony and vocals that knows how to tell a story. Vocalist Earl Sixteen does it JUST RIGHT. All the elements of the song, as I wrote it back in December 1959, are still there. Thanks to all for doing it so well.” – Peggy Seeger
A while back I got the barge down to Breadmnister to expereince a little known British folk tradition: The Avian Purge here’s some more context on it:
In the early 20th Century, amidst global conflict, the Partnership of the Perpetual Musket arose in Breadminster, rejecting war. They championed their cause through songs, ceremonies, and a peculiar symbol: a bread-armored figurehead embodying their anti-war ethos. Despite public indifference, they persisted, staging radical protests like the infamous “Avian Purge” of 1915, where ducks symbolically attacked their bread-clad icon, representing the devastation of aerial bombing. Although misunderstood, this spectacle endures as a curious tradition.
Over time, their annual ceremony evolved, incorporating a diverse range of musical influences. Traditional folk tunes meld with modern interpretations, ensuring the event’s vitality. This years musical collaborator Elijah Minnelli reached out to me to see if I would do the cover for this years purge. He’s merged traditional songs with reggae production and singers.
Oil on Canvas -
This is a commissioned portrait from the writer, philosopher and art collector Stephen Baycroft, who is currently writing a book about my work that will be published next year! The original idea of the painting was to depict the significant moments of Stephens life using symbolic references that can be found throughout the painting. However as the painting developed and as a result of a series of ongoing discussions between myself and Stephen surrounding the concept and development of the book. The collaboration of our ideas came to the surface with a series of mutual influences, themes and beliefs, that felt as if they were being born out from the page and out into the physical world!
Oil on Canvas - 65cm X 100cm
This is a portrait that I was commissioned to paint by my father Steve Edge that I completed last year. The background of the painting tells the story of his life beginning as a child in London where his dad, my grandfather worked at Smithfield's meat market as well as an animal handler in his spare time, it also makes reference to my dads life long passion for fishing that started on the banks of the Thames and the ponds of London and has since taken him all over the world. He is Known locally as ‘Lord Shoreditch’ for his eccentric style of dress and for his design studio ‘Steve Edge Design’ as well as for his mantra for life 'Dress for the party and the party comes to you'. Before becoming a Graphic designer he worked as an Apprentice Jockey as well as working on the films Star Wars and the India Jones movie ‘Raiders of the lost ark’ where his pet monkey Snuff played a major roll in the film. He also made a cameo appearance himself when he shaved his legs and wore a dress and became a stunt double for the lead actress during the snake pit scene. Growing up his childhood home was always full to the brim of all sorts of exotic animals including snakes, lizards and even the families pet chimpanzee 'Primo'. On the weekends as well as fishing he spends his time working on his log cabin that he built in Box hill, Surrey. I am one of five of my dads children and we are represented in the bottom corner of the painting as ducklings being photographed by his wife Sylvie who is a photographer. You can also see a totem Pole that makes reference to our Native Canadian family out in North Vancouver that are part of the 'Tsleil-Waututh' first nation that christened my dad with the tribal name 'Eagle dancer'.
Oil on Canvas - 65cm X 45cm
This portrait is a private commission from the entrepreneur, philanthropist and film producer, Hani Farsi. The backdrop of the painting makes symbolic references to Hanis family, passions and pivotal achievements throughout his career. Over his shoulder on the left is a Portrait of Hani's father Dr M S Farsi and beneath is a frame containing a picture of his wife and children. On the right hand side are book spines that makes references to many of Hanis passions as well as being symbolic of his love of collecting and reading. The 'Jeddah City of Art' book, that Hani produced himself whilst still studying as a student, makes reference to his love of Art and celebrates the artistic landscape of his native city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. References to Hanis many successful business ventures and entrepreneurial instinct are symbolised by the framed origami butterfly, that is made from the first ten pounds Hani earned after opening his first bar 'Che'. Resting beneath are the DVD's of the five films that Hani has produced to date, including '20,000 Days on Earth'. Two of the book spines also make reference to one of Hanis latest ventures, a tv series about a young Winston Churchill, that I included as a symbol of Hanis future ambitions and passion for new projects and opportunities.
Oil on Canvas - 30cm X 25cm
I was commissioned to make this painting by Patrick McArdle who is an art collector and curator based in Pittsburgh, USA. Who is currently campaigning for Pittsburgh to commemorate the life of John Kane by renaming the Beechwood Blvd bridge after him. John Kane was born in West Calder, Scotland in 1860. After the death of his father as a young boy he began working in the mines to support his family. At 19 he emigrated to America where he worked tough manual labour jobs. At the age of 31 he tragically lost the lower part of his left leg whilst saving a family member from an approaching train. After his accident he adjusted to life with a disability and began painting steel railroad cars. This ignited a new direction for Kane and he soon began painting obsessively and after submitting work to the notorious Carrie internationals he was discovered by the art-world and received national and later international acclaim for his work.
Oil on Canvas - 45cm X 65cm
This portrait I was commissioned to paint as a joint Birthday and 30th year anniversary present for the Clark family. The painting depicts the family home as well as their wide array of pets as well as Aldeburgh and St Anton where the family spend their holidays together
Oil On Canvas - 64cm X 100cm
This portrait is a private commission from Patrick Couderc, retracing the pivotal stages of his life. The composition begins in the French town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, where he was born and his grandfather operated a flour mill on the nearby river. Then on to the village of Milhars, where his father worked as a postman and Patrick was raised. He later attended the ‘Paris Hospitality management School’ where his passion for the arts blossomed, visiting theatres and operas six nights a week after striking up a friendship with Le Monde’s Lead Art Critic. After graduating Patrick moved to London to begin an internship at the Dorchester Hotel, where on his arrival he met his life-long partner and future wife Polly on the hotel’s stairs. This marked the beginning of Patrick’s London life and other influential first meetings and important relationships that have been depicted within the painting. Professionally Patrick’s career evolved from hospitality to the fashion world where he became the UK MD of the” “Herve Leger” label, five years he refers to as “business debauchery”…
Oil on Canvas (2019) - 35cm X 55cm
This portrait was privately commissioned by brother and sister Stephen Paine and Sarah Large to celebrate their parents Bob and Beryl Paine's landmark 60th year wedding anniversary. The painting tells the story of each individual's background before they met. Beryl grew up in a small terraced house in Manchester, with a love of mathematics, that she went on to study and teach. Bob was born in Egypt and left school at 16, working for the Coal board, whilst studying A levels at night school and as a result was accepted to study at Sheffield university, where he did a Phd. In Sheffield he met meet Beryl, who's immediate appeal was that she owned a car, was a teacher and could transport him and his jazz band around, in which he played the saxophone. The couple then settled up north and had a family, and then relocated to the South east of England and now have six grandchildren. The objects included in the painting reflect each of their individual personalities. For Beryl, she bred sheep, has a love of crosswords and her family, whose names are included within the crossword. For Bob since retiring as a CEO of an industrial group, he has taken up painting, continued his love of list making, dancing, listening to music and generally being creative, that you can see represented in his home-made incense burner on the table in the foreground. In the sky you can see the couple's holiday home in Spain, that represents how far they have both come from their humble beginnings. The painting as a whole is a commemoration and celebration of two individual lives coming together resulting in a successful 60 year marriage side by side.
Oil on Paper - A4
Tour poster commissioned by the Fat White Family for their upcoming tour late 2019.
Oil on Canvas - 25cm X 20cm
This is a painting of my very own dog Lunar Moon that I painted as a present for my wife. We got her on my birthday in 2019 and she now comes to my studio with me every day and is the perfect studio dog and companion. If you would like your pet immortalised do get in touch.
Oil on Canvas - 25cm X 25cm
I was commissioned to make this painting by Raf Rundell who is a singer/songwriter and DJ. He lives on the Dawson's Heights housing estate in south London depicted within this painting. The idea of the commission was to capture the current time in Raf's life where he is balancing fatherhood whilst working as a songwriter and DJ.
Oil on Canvas - 40cm X 30cm
This is a painting I was commissioned to make to commemorate the life of my old friend John Fernandez who died under tragic circumstances around this time last year. I first met John back at school and was impressed by his great sense of humour and passion for all things military so it didn’t surprise me that he fulfilled his early ambitions and signed up to the army in adulthood. Serving with the second battalion, princess of wales, royal regiment (nicknamed the tigers) where he worked his way up to the Corporal position. In the painting he is standing in front of his family home the ‘Herons Folly’ a place where I had many great and fun memories with John back in my school days growing up. Although me and John saw little of each other in his later days we always kept in touch and had a laugh about the old times that in most cases involved being chased or getting up to mischief in in some shape or form. John by all accounts was a religious man this was represented by the rosary that I have depicted him holding in the painting. He also loved his dog and faithful friend Lilly who also appears in the painting.
Oil On Canvas - 45cm X 60cm
This is a piece that I was commissioned to make last year for a couple who wished for me to create a painting of themselves, depicted within a local scene. This was to represent and celebrate their recent move to lambeth, London and their life together as a couple.
Oil on Canvas - 25cm X 20cm
This is a portrait of James Lynch who I was commisoned to paint by his sons for a sixtieth birthday present. James was born in Glasgow, Scotland and moved to London to attend Art School. He lived in Shoreditch and worked as a graphic designer and property developer. This is represented in the right hand side of the painting that includes a city scape of old Shoreditch as well as his old local pub the Barley Mow. James has since left Shoreditch and moved with his family to Wales and started fforest with his wife. A set of award winning holiday and events venues in rural west Wales. The left hand side of the painting represents this transition and new start with the sun rising over his new venture and a dramatic romantic sky on the right sitting over old shoreditch representing the past.
Oil on Canvas - 50cm X 40cm
I was commissioned to create this painting to celebrate Rays O’Donnell’s 60th birthday by his family. The brief of the painting was to celebrate Rays proud Irish and Scottish heritage and his talent on the Bagpipes as well as his life in Maine, USA. I achieved this by using imagery that has a significant meaning to Ray including the beach as that is one if his favourite past times. The sandcastles and flags were the finishing touches to show Rays fun side and again to celebrate his roots and heritage.
Oil on Canvas - 30cm X 25cm
Fifi La Mer is a Parisian, French singer and accordion player, based in London who also performs with her band ‘Ooh La La’. A fantastic band who played at my wedding reception. Stephanie commissioned me to create this portrait of her playing her beloved accordion. The painting is going to be used for an album cover and other promotional material.