Welcome to my web site. Hope you enjoy your visit.

Do come back again, E-mail a friend! Tell‘em about Ben.

Come into my world.
I'll share with you my folk art and stories which hopefully will bring you back to your own world with a new awareness and understanding of what we Newfs and Labs are all about.

So, hello world.

I have bluish-brown eyes and black hair with a few grey ones. I was born October 14, 1956, the only child but part of a sizable extended family. My height is 5 foot 8 ½ inches and my weight is 180 pounds in the summer and 190 pounds in the winter.

I was born and bred on “the rock” and have made this marvelous terrible place my home. I began my early education in a 7-grade, one room classroom in a two room green schoolhouse. In high school each grade had it's own classroom with several teachers.

I went on to graduate from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1979 with a bachelor of Science degree, majoring in petroleum geology. Over my earlier years, work took me to the offshore oil rigs and to the inshore fishing boats.

But it was the student summer jobs that I worked at in Gros Morne National Park that really stuck with me. Working as a park interpreter, a big part of my job was to interpret Newfoundland 's rich cultural and natural history for the tourists “from away”.

Today, that interpretation continues at Ben's Studio. I see my work as creative and artistic “one of a kind” unique pieces of colorful driftwood lath art, a new style of folkart.

Besides, someone has to keep a track of what's going on!

Somebody once said:

“Artists value the opportunity to work within natures realm by utilizing natures own raw materials to produce the highest quality art.”

Enjoy, keep clicking!

Benedict Joseph Ploughman

Achievements

Owner/Operator of Ben's Studio located in Port au Choix, NL. Specializing in Contemporary Folk Art and Things (22 years)

Exhibited at the Arts and Culture Centre, St. John's, NL - January 2015

Exhibited at the Arts and Culture Centre, Corner Brook, NL - March 2014

Profiled on CBC Television "Land and Sea" : The Sky is The Limit (2013)

-Interrview in Canadian Art Magazine, ARABELLA, as "Artist to Collect"  Spring 2011

-Published author and recording artist. This earlier achievement included the publication and recording of my only book and cassette titled “Born and Bred on the Rock, Original Newfoundland Songs, Stories, and Recitations”. Sold out!

-Winner of the “Best New Product Award” at the 1996 Newfoundland & Labrador Xmas Show and Sale in St. John's, NL.

"Chocolate is Good"

-Winner of the “Best Display Award” at the Signatures 2001 Ottawa Christmas Show in Ontario, Canada .

-Winner of "The Peoples Choice Award" at the Chocolate Display for "Chocolate is Good" of The Artists Project (2009) Toronto Ontario.

-7 exhibits at the “One of a Kind” Christmas show in Toronto, Ontario, Largest juried show of it's kind in Canada . (1999 - 2005)

2 Exhibits at the Toronto Artist Project (2008 - 2009)

-Yearly invites from many national and international Christmas shows and events in Toronto , Ottawa , and Chicago .

-Commissioned work for the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Ottawa when the honorable Brian Tobin was in charge.

-Early work purchased by the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull , Quebec .

- Listed in the National Register “Who's Who” in executives and professionals, based in Babylon , New York .

-Built the Museum of Whales & Things, home to a 46 foot male sperm whale skeleton.

-Built an Extreme Backyard Golf course.

Home of The Golden Cod.