| Michael BenevilleMichael Beneville refuses to sit still. At six months old, he moved with his family from New York City to Beirut, Lebanon. Since then, he has been in constant motion, crossing personal and geographic boundaries, gathering ideas and materials, using his imagination to build bridges between worlds.
By the age of ten, Michael had lived in seven different countries, including Morocco, Mauritius, Senegal and Great Britain. Assembling this great mosaic of early impressions, Michael learned to see patterns, to make unlikely connections-in short, he became an artist.
In his adult life, Michael continues this extraordinary journey, immersing himself in the life-stories of his clients-men and women who, in their various fields, actively shape the modern world. His company, Beneville Studios, is an "idea manifestation machine", designed to keep pace with Michael's own, expansive imagination and the diverse visions of those who commission its work.
That work, like Michael himself, is constantly evolving. Since its inception in 2000, the studio has specialized in producing "21st Century Portraits", using cutting-edge technology alongside centuries-old tools and techniques. Assisted by an extraordinary team of creative professionals, Michael creates living artifacts full of memories, surprises, and secrets--biographical inventions as multifaceted as their subjects.
For Michael, every new project is about a lifetime of projects. He sees his relationships-personal and professional--in the long-term, and approaches them accordingly: with reverence and integrity, with faith in their boundless potential. These relationships have shaped and continue to sustain his life and work:
"I wasn't sprung fully formed out of the mind of Zeus, with all my capabilities intact. I have absolutely been sculpted by people who cared."
Among these people, Colin Cowie stands alone; A close friend, mentor and collaborator, Colin has been an ongoing source of creative inspiration for Michael:
"Colin is an extraordinary artist. He creates works of art which are a mandala. Physically, they last for a day, a night...but they're emblazoned forever in the memory of anyone who witnesses them. And he's able essentially to speak them into being."
Based in New York, Beneville Studios has produced work for Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, humanitarian Andrea Kerzner, music-industry doyen Allen Grubman, power real estate broker Deborah Grubman and the Lynch family. The success of these projects has drawn the attention of an ever-expanding circle of friends and clientele. It has also provided the means for Michael to begin to give back with increasing commitment to the continent of his childhood, Africa. New challenges-new directions-new borders to cross: Michael Beneville, an explorer from birth, is utterly in his element.
Michael Beneville
info@beneville.com
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