About Me

Hi there!  My name is Christopher Benson and I'm creating in Winnipeg, Manitoba, right smack in the middle of Canada.

INSTAGRAM - Recent work, art scene updates
DEVIANTART - Archived work
YOUTUBE - Speedpaints

TWITCH - Livestream drawing

I moved to Winnipeg from a smaller town up north, The Pas, to pursue an education and see what else life could offer me in a larger city.  Feeling like my portfolio wasn't strong enough for the Red River College creative art program, I turned to an arts college named Applied Multimedia Training Centres (AMTC).  Young and eager to learn about 3D animation and special effects, I foolishly threw myself into student debt for what I felt was a gateway to living a creative dream.  Although it was high on dazzle, it was sadly a short lived operation that woefully under trained the students, provided very little resources and chained its doors shut after a couple years.  The diploma I had earned had little to no value. 

Crushed and trying to make a living under the student loans, I fell into the local creative community. I found my people in anime clubs and convention planning groups.  I surrounded myself with driven, artistic friends who helped encourage me.  I might not have been doing artwork for a living, but they made sure I didn't give up my hobbies.  

Conventions

With a great amount of anxiety, I attempted to have an anime convention artists table in 2006.  It was a bare half table with no display.  I don't even think there was a tablecloth.  Just some 5"x7" digital prints flat on a table with some bookmarks. It was a surprising success!  I started working more on the staff side of shows, and couldn't find time to have a table again until in 2012.  It was a crushing defeat. My expenses were deep in the red and felt very insecure with my art.  The convention art scene had changed.  You needed to properly present your art, have a compelling display, clearly convey your catalog and pricing.  So much more that I wasn't ready for.  It wasn't until 2017 that I was encouraged by my friends to try one more time.

After my lessons learned in 2012, I've been taking baby steps to make art production a bigger part of my life. I've successfully exhibited at over fifteen conventions, craft shows and other events in two provinces.  I hope to keep expanding my talent, and my reach to meet more people.