Combining references to famous works of art and popular culture, Steele’s clever compositions evoke nostalgia and a smile. Museum founders Tom and Mary James have followed Steele’s career since 2005, collecting more than a dozen paintings over the years. They have loaned their paintings to the museum for this gallery spotlight, celebrating the artist’s whimsical work. Typically, the canvases are hanging at the Raymond James Financial home office in St. Petersburg.
What makes Ben Steele’s art special? His intention is to incorporate everyday objects and well-known works of art in a way never seen before, flipping the script and re-exposing common images in new ways. He is proficient in painting styles from Realism to Pop, and “borrows” distinct elements and approaches from master artists such as Salvador Dali and Roy Lichtenstein. I like to say he paints like a chameleon because he can transform his style (and even signatures) depending on the topic.
Aspects of Americana and the West have greatly influenced Steele over the years. Living in the tiny Utah town of Helper, inspiration is at the ready. Imagery of vintage neon road signs, rodeos, Western films, and even the iconic cowboy boot has been a notable feature in his work. Let’s look at how Steele celebrates the American West in the current spotlight Ben Steele: A POP of Art!
The playful ode to Spaghetti Western films captures actor Clint Eastwood’s character from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) directed by Sergio Leone. Punctuated by bullet holes, the can of sauce is set against a background of the movie’s famous shoot-out scene at the cemetery. The price sticker of $1.00 is about what a movie ticket cost in the 1960s.
“Spaghetti Westerns” were typically low-budget films produced in Europe in the 1960s and ’70s, often by Italian directors such as Leone. The gritty, often violent movies with anti-heroes contrasted with Hollywood’s traditional idealization of the American West. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is considered by many to be the quintessential Spaghetti Western, and its impact has spread far beyond the screen. The film was the third feature in the Dollars trilogy (1964–1966).
Did you draw with an Etch A Sketch as a kid? In 1960, the Etch A Sketch debuted as a drawing toy with a “magic screen.” That same year, actor John Wayne sat for this classic headshot. Steele reimagines the portrait “drawn” in the style of a classic Etch A Sketch, and he even built the classic red frame with knobs.
Steele titled the painting Double Take to reference a specific film starring John Wayne called The Quiet Man (1952). During filming, director John Ford wanted to capture a reaction of surprise from Wayne. Ford persuaded co-star Maureen O’Hara to whisper a shocking, unscripted line to Wayne that caused him to do a “double take”—and Ford got the genuine reaction he wanted. No one living knows what she said!
The coffee still life is set within a Charlie Russell action scene. Steele gives a nod to this famous early Western artist who often depicted cowboys on the trail. And they needed lots of coffee! Notice the painting’s small details: the can’s scratched label and textured metal rim, highlights on the surface of the coffee. When a painter masters realism like Steele, it is common to digest the work as a whole but possibly miss subtle touches that truly bring the painting to life. He makes the finished product look effortless. Steele also added a cow skull on the cup as a nod to Russell, who drew the same image next to his painting signatures.
“I like conceptual art, but often, I don’t need to see it. Other pieces are well-painted but not that meaningful. I like to blend those two worlds—concept and vision.”
-Ben Steele
