Barry Bennett ends his stint as artist-in-residence at Veith House with a show of new paintings. This is a world away from his old life. Bennett was a chartered accountant and CEO of an insurance corporation for 10 years. He burnt out and in 2000 switched gears, attending NSCAD to study drawing and painting. In 2008 Bennett was in a motorcycle accident; crushed vertebrae nicked an artery and ultimately he became blind on the right side of both eyes. He's still a perfectionist. Bennett is a painter of animals, portraits and scenery. "I try to capture emotions," he says. "A dog looking sweet or a cat looking angry; whatever it might be." "I don't let the blindness impact either my life or my work," Bennett says. "I bring the same attention to detail to my art that I did to my work as an accountant." He doesn't miss his old life at all. "There's no comparison," he says, laughing. "I so much enjoy the art world. It's much more fun being creative in an artistic way."
To June 28, Veith Street Gallery, 3115 Veith Street, 446-6010
Opening reception Friday June 8, 5-7pm
