Ben Knight – half of the power couple behind ‘A Chef’s Life’ – brings his contemporary art to SOCO Gallery
Abstract artist Ben Knight thought he’d have more time to paint once he and his wife, Chef Vivian Howard, traded in the hectic pace of New York for Howard’s sleepy hometown of Deep Run, N.C. Their dream was to showcase the farmers of eastern North Carolina (Howard’s dad is among them) and elevate the humble dining scene in the former tobacco town.
One dream came true. Ben’s dream – of plenty of idle time – did not.
But he carved out enough time to put together a mini-exhibition of his latest art at SOCO Gallery this month. This is the first time Knight’s work has been shown in Charlotte.
The couple’s restaurant, Chef & The Farmer, put little Kinston (the closest “city” to Deep Run) on the national culinary map, but it wasn’t easy.
“This is an especially labor-intensive business,” Ben said. “And we were trying it in a community that had little resources to support this. For the first couple of years, I was fairly resentful.”
Success, it seems, is a double-edged sword.
Knight had even less free time when the couple became the stars (Knight, somewhat reluctantly) of their own award-winning PBS series, “A Chef’s Life,” which gives viewers a transparent look into their lives.
Now that the restaurant is a veritable institution and the couple’s twins, Theo and Florence, are a little older, Knight finally has the free time to paint more.
“I’ve found a better sense of balance,” he said, adding that he’s “very fortunate” to be able to express himself creatively on two fronts – in his art and at the restaurant.
The hectic pace of running a famous restaurant has infiltrated his art – in an unexpected way.
“Our large employee base requires patience,” he said. “I’ve had to learn (that skill), and I think my newer palette reflects patience. The work was much more chaotic before. It’s softer now.”
So, the busier Chef & The Farmer gets, the calmer Knight has to become.
Charlotteans will get to see Knight’s softer side June 21, when SOCO Gallery introduces his work here. Knight is one of the first speakers at SOCO Gallery’s new “Meet the Artist” series. He’ll discuss his creative process, which involves allowing himself to “be in the moment” as he paints.
“Nothing about my work is intentional,” said Knight, who currently has gallery representation in Kinston, Raleigh and Greenville, N.C. “When I start a painting, I don’t have any preconceived notion about where it’s going. There’s an element of chaos to it.”
That’s evident. I see his work as bold, colorful, intense and with, I think, a certain order amid chaos — a lot like a restaurant kitchen, I told him.
He laughed at my restaurant analogy but said his oldest and closest friend refers to his work “controlled chaos.” So, I got it half right.
His titles alone tell a story: “The Dinner Table,” “Foraging for Wisdom,” “My Personal Circus,” “Find the Time.” If you’ve ever watched the PBS show, you know that not having enough time is a frequent theme in the couple’s lives.
Knight may title a painting while he’s working on it, but usually that happens after it’s finished. Sometimes, long after it’s finished. When he thinks of a potential painting title, he’ll email it to himself, print it out and post it on the wall of his studio. “A painting might evoke a certain title,” he said. “But I also like randomness and don’t mind choosing a random title.”
To wit, there were two untitled paintings that had been on display at Chef & The Farmer for a while. Knight asked his young son to come up with names for each. Theo’s arbitrary picks: “Ben’s Best Painting” and “Santa’s Helpers.”
Great titles, right? And worth waiting for. As is often the case these days, Knight finds patience is rewarded.
Want to go?
What: Ben Knight will speak at SOCO Gallery for its “Meet the Artists” series.
When: 6 p.m., June 21.
Where: SOCO Gallery, 421 Providence Road.
Cost: Free.
Photos: Courtesy of Ben Knight
This story was originally published June 12, 2017 at 10:06 PM with the headline "Ben Knight – half of the power couple behind ‘A Chef’s Life’ – brings his contemporary art to SOCO Gallery."