Otok Ben-Hvar call him Ben: The Patriotic Artist
Otok Ben-Hvar was born Ben Garcia in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a Spanish immigrant father and Irish mother. Ben is a rare, latent, multi-talented, interdisciplinary artist in mind, spirit and heart. Yet, Ben never held a piece of vine charcoal or an artist's brush in his hand until he was 70. An art student in his 70's, under the tutelage of Julie Levero-Fox, he created a new and exciting art form called "Firecracker Art".
Ben primarily uses tiny fireworks and pyrotechnic propellants to create art that defies the traditional method of paint application. After applying various colored paints to the fireworks and its surrounding area, Ben lights the fuse and allows his unique materials to dictate the design of his artwork. No two paintings are ever alike.
By merging performance art with abstract 'action' painting, Ben creates etheral paintings. During the expolsive performance portion, the pyrotechnic propellants, firecrackers, paints and materials whiz about on fields of various papers and canvases. After the smoke clears what remains is a one-of-a-kind painting. This painting is filled with swirls and blasts of color, which are the motion and energy of Firecracker Art; forever captured in a colorful, unconventional atmosphere of streams and unsavoir-fair paints.
Although firecrackers create fleeting, albeit memorable, visual and auditory experiences Ben, through his Firecracker Art, creates artwork that visually embodies the patriotism, freedom and independence every American enjoys.
Just as special as his artworks is Ben's signature. His signature is a self-revealing passionate portrayal of his patriotic love and the indebtedness, he feels, he owes to America. His unique historic role as an American Ambassador of Goodwill and the deepest themes of an American heritage are significantly evident by his signature. All artworks are signed by Ben in a blaze of patirotic glory on a miniture, colored, clay American flag. Each American flag is completely molded and hand-made by an artist in a process called Millefiori, which translated means "1,000 Flowers". This art process was perfected in Venice during the Renaissance period.
