Ben Wilks

1914-2001

Ben Wilks was born in Toronto, Canada. He immigrated to Los Angeles, California as a child and became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Mr. Wilks entered the U.S. Army ROTC during World War II and attained the level of Captain. During that time he married Emily Loveman and they had their first daughter, Diana, in 1945. He had planned on being a career army officer, but had to be medically discharged due to a physical condition. His second daughter, Lisa, was born in 1952. With a family to support and opportunities to choose from through the G.I. Bill, he enrolled in the Howard Jepson Art Institute. He also opened a frame shop, which later became Creative Artcraft on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. Besides individual customers, he framed for museums and galleries throughout the greater Los Angeles Area. He provided frames on consignment for Aaron Brothers before it was a chain store and afterward. He touched up and repaired damaged artwork for the Los Angeles County Museum. Now and then a celebrity would come in for custom framing.

Mr. Wilks painted with art student groups, en plein air, and in his own studio behind his residence on Rimpau Boulevard in Los Angeles. He also taught art classes in that studio on Wednesday evenings from the 1950's until his retirement in the 1990's. He was a member of the Pacific Art Guild.

EXHIBITIONS

1947 Artists of Los Angeles and Vicinity 8th Annual Exhibition, Los Angeles County Museum

1947 18th Annual State-Wide Art Exhibition, Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz

1947 Denver Art Museum

1948 Santa Paula Union High School Art Rooms, 12 Annual Art Exhibit

1948 Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture by Artists of Los Angeles and Vicinity, Greek Theater, Griffith Park

1948 Los Angeles County Museum Annual Exhibition, Artists of Los Angeles and Vicinity

1948 Chabot Art Gallery, one-man showing

1948 Art of Heroes Exhibit, The American Legion, Reseda, California

1949 Santa Paula Union High School Art Rooms, 12 Annual Art Exhibit

1949 California Centennials Exhibition of Art, Los Angeles County Museum

1949 Exhibition of Arts, Los Angeles County Fair

1949 Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture by Artists of Los Angeles and Vicinity, Greek Theater, Griffith Park

1949 Arizona State Fair

1951 Anthes Gallery, two-man showing with Howard Bradford, 767 La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles

1950 National Orange Show, San Bernardino, California

1950 Oakland Art Gallery

1950 Fifth Newport Harbor

1950 Fraymart Gallery in conjunction with Arts & Architecture Division, Arts, Science & Professions Council, Crossroads of the World, Los Angeles

1953 California State Fair and Exposition, Sacramento

1953 38th Annual National Orange Show, San Bernardino, California

1953 Denver Art Museum Annual Exhibition

1959 5th Annual Art Fair and Purchase Prize Exhibition, Art Committee of the Westside Jewish Community Center, Los Angeles

1960 6th Annual Art Fair and Purchase Prize Exhibition, Art Committee of the Westside Jewish Community Center, Los Angeles

1962 The Ivory Tower Art Gallery, Santa Monica

1971 Los Angeles Public Library Memorial Branch Exhibition

1987 Pacific Art Guild Juried Show, Los Angeles 1989 Pacific Art Guild Juried Show, "

1992 Pacific Art Guild Juried Show, "

1993 Pacific Art Guild Juried Show, "

Year unknown Paintings by Veterans, Raymond & Raymond Galleries, Beverly Hills.