Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Benji Paysnoe. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Benji, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
The Most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on is Rudy the Diabloceratops! While I’ve sculpted work for several museums at this point, Rudy was the dinosaur who got me going into my career. He is a travelling dinosaur… with a saddle! Rudy has been to street events and Phoenix Fan Fusion! Getting to see people ride, hug, pet, and interact with Rudy and inspire folks to delve deeper into the paleontology field has really inspired me to keep creating projects that communicate the sciences as well as create good memories for anyone.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My Name is Benji Paysnoe, and I am a professional Sculptor and Gallery Designer in the State of Arizona. While I’ve done a wide range of models, my primary focus is natural history and dinosaurs! Currently, I’ve been helping the Arizona Museum of Natural History renovate their space. I helped build the gallery layout for 75,000,000 B.C., as well as build all the models and construct the physical gallery space. I’ve also helped update their Dinosaur Mountain exhibit and create over 15 life-sized animals. Most recently, I’ve been working with our Anthropology Department to refurbish and rebuild our anthropology spaces to align with modern decolonization practices!
At a very young age I had a huge interest in dinosaurs, like everyone else. However, as I delved deeper into understanding the biological sciences, it became evident my talents didn’t lie in research and papers – but rather in the figures and models that help visually describe the science. With that, I began volunteering with our local museum creating scientific reconstructions of dinosaurs, modern animals, plants, and more! By the age of 23, I had successfully lead the building of a museum gallery through the support of my colleagues, and become an internationally recognized artist. Today, I’m creating models for museums and homes across the united states, and looking soon into going global!
While I love to create sculpture, I love even more the experiences museum work can bring to children and adults alike. We all know about dinosaurs, but the chance to meet one that’s “real” truly drives home the magnificent life that came before us. While not everyone can read a scientific paper, anyone can experience a physical piece of art. And the opportunity to share my love of the natural world through providing that experience is what drives my work today!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing other people enjoy your work and be inspired through it. I have the opportunity to see folks interact with my work on a daily basis – they take photos with it, ask questions about the science behind it, and get to learn from it. And most importantly, they get to touch it! Most of my works are in places where people can truly get to live right alongside a dinosaur. Many people have let me know that experiencing my work has inspired their own creative journey, and getting to help people find that passion in themselves means the world to me.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The biggest goal driving my journey is to make high quality work available for equitable experiences. As I’ve grown into the museum field, I’ve learned the miracle of my experience is unique. I come from a comfortable, but by no means a wealthy family. I struggled through school, gathering enough funds to learn my art, and in even finding opportunity to practice it! What truly drove my success is not just my determination to find it, but the massive support that walked alongside of me. Teachers, mentors, family, and friends who encouraged and helped me find my opportunity. Now, being in a position with the privilege to create my works and hold a voice in my field, I want nothing more than to provide that supportive opportunity to a growingly diverse audience. I’m always happy to help other artists find their success and build their skills. Through camaraderie and collaboration we can only become better artists, and become better people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.paysnoepaleoart.com
- Instagram: benj_art_min
- Facebook: Benj-art-min
- Twitter: @benjiopteryx
Image Credits
Michael Ramos and Benji Paysnoe
Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.