We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ben Roseland. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ben below.

Ben, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

The first time I really earned money from my artwork happened the day after I graduated from the Columbus College of Art & Design. I had just taken down my senior thesis show and carried my paintings across the street to the school’s student and alumni art fair. It was a one-day show, and I set up my work not really knowing what to expect.
To my surprise, I ended up selling almost all of the paintings I brought with me. It was an incredible feeling. In that moment, it felt like the door to a new chapter had just opened. I remember thinking that maybe this was going to be easier than I imagined—that I might just sell out at every show from then on.
Of course, as I continued down the path of being a working artist, I quickly learned that it isn’t always that simple. Some shows are great, some are slower, and there are plenty of ups and downs along the way.
But that first experience meant a lot to me. It showed me that people connected with what I was creating. Since then I’ve sold hundreds of paintings, and even today it never gets old. Every time someone chooses to bring one of my pieces into their home, it’s incredibly rewarding. There’s still a bit of an adrenaline rush when a painting sells, because it means the work resonated with someone enough that they want to live with it for years to come.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a contemporary impressionist painter inspired by nature, travel, and the emotional experience that art can create within a space. I graduated from the Columbus College of Art & Design in 2005, and since then I’ve been building a career as a full-time working artist, exhibiting my work at art fairs and exhibitions across the country.
My work is primarily focused on landscapes, often inspired by places I’ve explored or moments in nature that left a strong impression on me. I’m especially drawn to scenes that create a sense of atmosphere and depth—places where you can almost imagine stepping into the landscape.
What sets my work apart is the combination of my distinctive painting style and the craftsmanship involved in constructing each piece. Each piece involves not only painting the image but also carefully planning, cutting, and constructing the dimensional elements. It’s a very detailed and time-intensive process, but it allows the artwork to create a much more immersive experience than a traditional flat painting.
When people experience my art, I want them to feel something—not just see a painting, but connect with it and let it transform the space around them. My goal is to create artwork that isn’t just viewed for a moment but is lived with over time. The changing light, the shifting perspective, and the texture of the paint all reveal new aspects of the piece as you spend time with it.
One of the things I’m most proud of is being able to make a living doing what I love while continuing to grow and evolve as an artist. Along the way I’ve been fortunate to earn recognition at several art festivals, including the “Best of Painting” award at the Deerfield Art Festival in Deerfield, IL. Beyond awards, what matters most to me is knowing that my work is hanging in people’s homes and becoming part of their daily lives.
At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to create artwork that brings life, color, and emotion into a space and gives people something meaningful to experience every time they walk into the room.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is knowing that something you created can connect with someone else. When someone chooses to bring one of my paintings into their home, it becomes part of their everyday environment. It might be something they see when they wake up in the morning, when they walk into a room after a long day, or when they’re sharing their home with friends and family.
Art has a unique ability to influence the atmosphere of a space and the way people feel within it. Knowing that something I created can bring beauty, calm, or inspiration into someone’s daily life is incredibly meaningful to me.
There’s also something very rewarding about the creative process itself. Each painting is an opportunity to explore new ideas, refine my techniques, and push my work a little further. The combination of creative expression and craftsmanship keeps the process engaging and constantly evolving.
At the same time, I never lose sight of how fortunate I am to be doing this. Being able to make a living as an artist and spend my days creating is truly a lifelong dream for me.
But ultimately, the most fulfilling part is the connection that happens when someone truly responds to the work. When a person tells me that a painting made them feel something or reminded them of a place or moment in their life, that’s when I know the work has done what I hoped it would do.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

A major goal that drives my creative journey is the desire to continue growing—not only as an artist, but also as a person. Art has always been a way for me to explore ideas, reflect on experiences, and express the things that inspire me, particularly the beauty and atmosphere of nature.
I’m constantly trying to refine my work, experiment with new ideas, and push my creativity a little further with each painting. For me, the creative journey isn’t just about producing finished pieces; it’s about living a meaningful and unique path where I can continue learning, evolving, and expressing what I see and feel through my work.
Ultimately, my mission is to create artwork that people enjoy living with—pieces that brighten a room, spark conversation, and continue to reveal new details the longer someone spends with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.benroselandart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benroseland
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benroselandart