Scholars in the Arts
"I am fascinated by the breadth of Art History and by how painting teaches a culture about itself."
Scholar Films
Harun's most recent film, In the Name of the Son, is based on his experiences growing up in wartime Bosnia
Benjamin J. Fountain
"I find great delight in watching young people discover how rich and varied painting can be. In addition to a lifetime of painting, I hope to teach art on a regular basis and to share my enthusiasm for painting."
- Alumni of: 2006 Graduate Scholarship Program
- Four-year College or University: Pacific Northwest College of Art
- Graduate School: Temple University
- Academic/Career Pursuits: Professional Artist, Teacher
- Other Interests: Working with Art Students
Biography
Benjamin Fountain grew up with the colors of Idaho's wheat, peas, and lentils crops. "The bright green new sprouts of spring give way to summer's colors of pale greens, red browns, and the rich gold of wheat. In harvest time the combines kick up dry red dirt and wheat chaff, creating a haze in the air that blurs the horizon and tints the bright blue sky with a purple haze."
He agonized how to capture those colors as he mixed his paints. Standing in a wheat field on an August morning, he would gaze at the rainbow of colors before him. He also tried to convey on canvas the sweet smell of the ripe wheat, the heat of the sun on his face, and the sound of a distant combine.
He usually succeeded beyond expectations. Before starting to create his senior "body of work" for professors, he was worried that people would not understand his work. He faced down his fears and four months later his paintings won him the school's Thesis Award, as well as the admiration of peers and professors.
Other Scholars Like Benjamin
C.T. Hogge
College Scholar
Hampden-Sydney College
Esmeralda Duran
Graduate Scholar
Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris
Johny John
Graduate Scholar
Boston University
Lorina Naci
Graduate Scholar
University of Cambridge