Email: ernie@strictlyearnest.com

Artist Bio

Earnest “Ernie” Benton was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He is a self-taught artist who started making sketches with pencils at a very young age, and has been actively involved in artistic activities from early childhood to the present. Through the years, Ernie has worked to develop his distinctive artistic style, and has competed in and won many art competitions. He has been selected for numerous juried shows while gaining a solid reputation as an artist. Ernie’s mediums of choice are acrylics and pastels, and his palette is a mixture of earth tones, cool pastels, and vivid primary colors that focus on styles, texture, and form.

Ernie believes that art is essential to the human experience. “A basic understanding and appreciation of the arts serves to broaden character and deepen the connections with those in our social circles” (A Passion for Jazz! ™ 2007). He likes to use art as an opportunity to inform, educate, and ignite the interest of art lovers and students alike. His paintings are created to depict the sounds, flavor, and vibrations of life and I hope that in some small way larger opportunities are generated for communication and understanding.