Ben'h Usry
Contemporary Painter
Born - Aiken, South Carolina
July 1989, Usry entered a Twelve Step Program and has been an active member ever since. In the mid 90's he began painting his interpretation of the Twelve Steps. These paintings are based on a collection of thoughts, ideas and hours of sharing by members. Using color and text associated with the steps, the artist has attempted to convey the mood, principle and essence of each step. The numbers that appear serve as a design element but are also symbolic of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have entered a Twelve Step Program. These paintings were created out of love and passion he feels for the Steps and desire to encourage and inspire others in a recovery program.
Usry's works are in private and permanent collections of museums and more than five hundred corporate collections throughout the U.S. In Jacksonville his work is included in the Mayor's Art Collection, the Chamber of Commerce and the Preston Haskell collection.
In his early twenties, Usry spent time in Europe to experience first hand the art and the culture. He is a self taught artist and attributes his art education to this experience and his mentor South Carolina artist Elizabeth Bates. Usry was co-founder of 'Art Celebration' a group of thirteen regional artists that exhibited from 1972 until 1995.
In 1970 Usry's first solo museum show was held at the Jacksonville Museum of Art.
Later Usry and his art were the subject of the film "American Artist" produced under a
grant from the Ford Foundation. His art was selected for the touring show 'Florida
Creates.' He has had numerous solo shows and was included in the Palm Beach American
Painters Competition and the Cummer Gallery of Arts Bicentennial Exhibition. He has been
written about in Art Voices South, Town and Country Magazine and many other art publications.
From 1984 until 1986 he served on the Federal Design Council in association with the National
Endowment of the Arts to create graphic standards for all Federal Government publications.
Usry continues to paint and reside in Jacksonville, FL.