Building a Language as an Artist Featuring Ben Keller | The Open Palette Podcast | Episode 5

What does it really mean to build a language as an artist.

In Episode 5 of The Open Palette Podcast, host Brian Camacho sits down with Ben Keller to break down the deeper layers of artistic identity, communication, and growth. This conversation goes beyond technique and aesthetics and dives into how artists develop a visual and conceptual language that speaks before they even say a word.

Ben Keller shares insight on finding your voice, refining your style, and creating work that is not only recognizable but meaningful. From early influences to evolving perspectives, this episode explores how consistency, experimentation, and intention all play a role in shaping an artist’s language over time.

If you are an artist trying to stand out, define your voice, or understand how to make your work resonate on a deeper level, this episode is for you. 

This is a conversation about identity, discipline, and the process of turning creativity into a language that connects with the world.


Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe to stay connected with more conversations around art, culture, and community.

Welcome to The Open Palette Podcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Life is the canvas we paint. Yeah. Opening the dialogue, removing the barriers and restraint. Uh-huh. It's the open palette, insight, access, and the human story. The palette is open. Open now.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

Welcome to the Open Palette Podcast, where art, culture, and community come together through real conversations. I'm your host, Brian Camacho, and in today's episode, we're diving into what it means to build a language as an artist. Today's guest is an artist whose practice moves fluidly between fine art, graffiti, and muralism, blending technical skill with expressive energy to create work that feels both intentional and alive. His journey reflects years of growth, experimentation, and dedication to the craft, developing a style that doesn't just look distinct, but feels authentic. Joining us today is Ben Keller. Welcome to the show. Happy to be here. Thank you. Thank you for joining us, Ben. I want to get right into it. Tell the people a little bit about yourself, where you're from, and uh where'd you get your start?

SPEAKER_01 1:06

So I'm originally from Connecticut and still based there. But um my work takes me, you know, all over the country now and out of the country sometimes. But um I got my start in painting at age 12, but didn't really start pursuing it actively until my senior year in high school, around 2010, and that um gradually progressed into what I'm doing now, which is being able to paint full-time as an artist. And uh my work mostly consists of canvases, oil, oil paintings, and then um large-scale interior and exterior murals. Oh, nice. Yes. Uh, and how do you describe who you are as an artist? I would say that I my main medium is paint, obviously, but uh I like to blend a few different mediums, being spray paint, roller paint, oil paint. Um, still active in my studio often, painting on canvases and selling those, but then also um taking that to walls as well. Um and that that transition um came through you know my my introduction to street art, graffiti at a young age. Oh, nice, nice.

SPEAKER_02 2:20

Yeah, uh, I want to speak to the importance uh of an artist finding their language through their art. You as an artist, um, through your work, uh through your large-scale murals and your canvas work, have found your way to be able to express yourself, tell your stories through your work. Um, a lot of the work that you focus on is uh realism, and um which is an amazing uh field for you to be in because your work is amazing. Thank you. We will be having some images here, here, and here, somewhere here for y'all to check out. But um, yes, uh let's speak to that. Let's speak to the language that you have built through your artwork.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Yeah. So I try to incorporate as much expressionism as possible so that it's not too um airbrushed or too photorealistic. I still like to have an edge or some texture integrated, whether it be through the mark making or just the technique and how I'm applying the paint. Again, like going back to the different tools, so that each application, whether it be like a roller or a brush or a spray can, speaks to each one of those instruments differently. And the combination of that, then you know, results in something realistic, but still um the the marks are are obvious and and apparent throughout the piece. So um I'm always trying to challenge myself and yeah, going back to to my work on canvases, also integrating a lot of the techniques I learned there onto larger scale surfaces like walls.

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Can you elaborate on that transition? Because you know, yes, painting on a canvas at at your home or in your studio and the comfort is amazing. Yeah. But when you're out painting a mural, you're dealing with the elements and you're, you know, you're facing with those challenges at that wall. Right. How do you how do you maneuver through those obstacles?

SPEAKER_01 4:14

Yeah, that's a great question. So each wall obviously it presents its own challenges, whether it be the texture of it, or as you said, like the conditions um or the time frame that you need to get completed by us, because sometimes mural projects you have only like a week or two to complete it, rather than in the studio, you can work on that canvas for months and layer it and just go back. Um there's there's really no pressure to complete it in a in a certain time restraint. So I think um I would I would like to eventually evolve or find a way to bring that end result on the canvas to a wall when I have the ability to, but you know, sometimes um you gotta just meet in the middle, and especially since it's a large-scale surface, you can't always um incorporate as much uh detail into certain sections as you'd like to. Um so sometimes things are more simplistic, and plus murals you're looking at from a distance rather than a canvas you're looking at up close. So um stepping back and knowing how to paint something up close so that it reads realistic or complete from a distance is honestly like a whole challenge in itself. Yeah, and that just comes to experience, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:32

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can understand that. Yeah, I want to speak to as well, um, through the process as an artist, as you grow as an artist, as you're building your techniques, as you're building your skill set, how does an artist remain, you know, within that that vein of building their language, you know, continuing that, you know, you're you're learning new style, you're learning new skills at times that can take you in on another journey. Yeah. But the main focus is, you know, remaining on the path that you set up. Right. Which can, you know, a lot of things can you know take you away from that. So, how do you as an artist find it within yourself to stay the path, stay the course, yep, and continue moving forward with your building your style and your language?

SPEAKER_01 6:12

Yeah, consistency is really the name of the game, like you were saying, and that creates your own brand or your own aesthetic, and staying true to that um without you know deterring or or trying something that is reflective of some other artist or inspiration that you found um can sometimes be be difficult at times because um I think a lot of people, a lot of artists, they pull inspiration from all these different sources or things they see around them. But um just trying to find your lane and staying true to what you really want to paint, that will inevitably um come out in your work and people recognize you because you're you're just painting the way that you want to paint instead of trying to imitate or reflect someone else's technique. Nice.

SPEAKER_02 7:07

Yeah. Now, with with regards to an artist who who has found their style, who has found their language and is able and is comfortable in that space now, I want to speak to the next steps, you know, and where an artist is taking the next step and being a little bit more vulnerable to express that artwork, bring it to the world, whether it be hosting it at you know a gallery, seeking opportunities, you know, for murals. Let's speak to that in that transition and and the ownership and the understanding of what you created, how to own that and how to remain within that space.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

I feel like being able to communicate um from a business mentality and selling yourself um to either the client or the business owner or the you know the gallery um is is sometimes a is a challenge for some artists because that's that's a hurdle that you don't really learn in the classroom. So um I think as long as you're just uh creating from a place that's pure and honest, that's gonna be be evident and obvious to the viewer at the end of the day, and they're gonna wanna invest in you or work with you because they realize that um this is your passion. And I think regardless of whatever um area that you're working in, people love to see someone just doing what they love, and they're automatically drawn to that because of it, and um yeah, it's just relatable. So I think that's um that's a great uh you know uh personality trait to have for sure.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

Um when artists are interacting with your art, what is the main message that you want them to take away from it? What is the main purpose and message that you want them to to understand through your artwork where you stand as an artist today?

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Yeah, that's a good question. Ultimately, I think it's open to your interpretation, and sometimes when people you know give me feedback on what they see or how that that particular piece I pay and makes them feel, um, it's enlightening to me because you know I'm I'm coming into it with my own message or or my own emotion, but sometimes theirs um is something different, and so it's it's as complimentary to me to hear that as it is to describe um you know the backstory of how you know I came at it, my approach. So um yeah, man, it's it's definitely cool, especially painting in the public eye, painting murals on the street in the public. Um you're going to hear all sorts of feedback. Um, but I just want people to to see a message or a story of beauty or reflection of of God, honestly. Um and uh just to have an experience, I think, not just in plus murals have taken off to the point where it's almost a requirement to have something hand-panned, whether it be like in a restaurant or an office, everyone that whole movement's taken off, um, which is great for for people like us. For sure. But um I think it just it just creates more life at the end of the day and and beauty, and um it can really affect an entire community or a whole neighborhood and just change it in a matter of of months.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

Nice. Well, I want to speak to the importance of you as a graffiti writer, some being able to represent yourself within these spaces as an artist, and the balance being a fine artist, a muralist, and a graffiti writer, as some may not understand the cultures and the languages of a fine artist, a muralist, and a graffiti writer, and you stand in all three. Right. Talk to that, how you're able to hold that space, the importance of the representation.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

Yes, it's been an interesting journey, but it's opened a lot of different doors because each one of those avenues or niches, um, sometimes there's crossover, and I and especially from the graffiti culture, a lot of that has entered the gallery space now. But um each each pocket kind of has um a different flavor, so I like to be able to move with in and out of each one and have different friendships, um, you know, and families within those circles. And I've never tried to limit myself to just one avenue. So I think just staying open to uh opportunities and um trying different things out from those different sources has just resulted in you know where I am today and just the people I grew up surrounding myself with too, um, introduced me to different things, uh, and then people you meet along the way. So yeah, it's been really fun.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

That's great. Um, as an artist, what's been one of your most fondest moments and achievements that that you can you've been most proud of?

SPEAKER_01 12:14

I'd say my most fondest achievement so far is just been the ex the ability to travel and uh get opportunities out of state. I think that's really been rewarding because it almost um it affirms like that people outside of just your vicinity or the the state that you grew up in, your your main clientele is recognizing your work through you know exposure through social media or just word of mouth. And um, you know, they're willing to fly you out or you know, cover your expenses to to bring you out and paint a wall that's that you've never been to before or see a new city, and um, yeah, just experience that.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

Nice. And when when taking on these jobs in these other cities, how do you prepare as an artist? You know, you know, understanding the lifestyle, the culture, the language within this city, what are the steps that you take to prepare for a project?

SPEAKER_01 13:09

I definitely like to do as much research as I can to familiarize myself prior to to going there, but um just as far as materials go, just just finding a local art store um or local hardware store, you know, getting all that um squared away. That way you're not you're not um rushing or uh stressing it on site, everything's lined up uh ahead of time, um, definitely makes the experience go a lot smoother. And just having a place to stay, you know, just covering all those because that's that's the thing, that's the thing about out of state, because um it it presents a whole new set of challenges sometimes. So just being able to adapt and um be flexible definitely helps.

SPEAKER_02 13:59

Are you an artist who's meticulous with like the tools that you're using, your setup process? Yeah, everything has to be a specific way.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Right. Because exactly sometimes if they don't have the particular brand that you like to use, you have to order it online ahead of time, have it shipped to that location, that way everything's there um when you arrive, and that can present, yeah, that that's all back end stuff that you know you just gotta figure out, and you you could learn from experience, you know, you figure it out and and enter that flow so you know you have a whole checklist of what you need, and yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:35

Do you take the same approach um when starting a project for uh you know, whether it be a fine art project or a mural? Is it the same approach for you? Is it the same process?

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Usually, yeah, more or less. Um, each site's a little different, but pretty much a consistent process in each one. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Um seeing you work and uh being able to experience your your process, I see that um you focus on layering. I want to speak to the purpose of the layering that you that you focus on as one of your main techniques. Can we talk to that?

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Yeah, so the purpose for the layering is to to give that depth and um portray every element of what you want to incorporate in the design to the viewer. Um, but each step of the process is really fun for me, and I I enjoy everything from the sketch to filling in and color blocking out everything, and then eventually um building that up to the you know final result, which which doesn't happen um overnight, obviously. Every every day has its own challenge or it's its own um stage involved. But eventually, after you know, four or five days, I get to where I'm feeling comfortable, and then you can really flex and and try some things out, um, add in you know the final touches and then see it really come to life from there. Nice, nice.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Can you speak to one of your your most favorite murals that you've completed thus far? What is the one that you hold near and dear to your heart?

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Some of the ones here in Orlando, actually, probably because they're my most recent, and usually, you know, you're you're proud of your most recent product more often than not. But I look back in hindsight and and I have favorites from even like five, ten years ago. But what I'm doing now, and just seeing the evolution, I think the most recent pieces, say like a a swan that I painted, um, or this piece on the back of a music venue, um, those are really fun, and I'm pretty proud of those just because the the size and what I was able to the the creative freedom always is is a big component to when the right client approaches you and just gives you creative freedom to just go off and express yourself without any restraints, those are usually my most favorite. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

Nice. Uh what do you see yourself as an artist within the next five years? What is your goals um with the work that you're putting out? Yeah, what what should we expect from you, Ben Keller, the artist?

SPEAKER_01 17:14

I would say just be on the lookout for more gallery shows inside. Um, because the the murals will always be there for anyone to view outdoors, and you don't need to go in or pay any admissions for that. But I I really want to enter that that gallery scene and challenge myself there because it's some unfamiliar territory at the moment, so just more consistency on that end and um see what comes from it.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

I wanna I wanna speak to the purpose and why an artist w would see the need to be in a gallery, an artist like yourself who's already at this level with the visibility through you know through the murals. Can you can you give a little bit of an understanding for that balance and or at least your purpose for that though?

SPEAKER_01 18:00

Yeah. What I would like to display in a gallery is more of a reflection of my vision. Because sometimes when a what when a client comes to you for a mural, they commission you, but you are trying to execute your your goal of why they're hiring you is to execute a mural for them. But with you know, works on canvas, um and you can do this obviously on walls as well, but those pieces on canvas are a true um honest interpretation of what you wanted to express in in your message that you want to portray. And if someone um you could you could charge uh as much for a canvas sometimes as you could a mural, and so um the financial aspect is definitely an advantage as well and an incentive to to pursue that um inside the galleries, but uh it's it's always been in a goal of mine to have that as a long-term that way. I can work in the comfort of my studio and be just there. Not that I don't like flying around and traveling for walls, but sometimes it's nice to just be in the comfort of your own home, produce a body of work, have a show, and just live off of that.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

True, truly understand. Yeah, that is a goal, yeah. Sure, and I I look forward to seeing that process come to life. Thank you. And I'm sure those that are tuned in will be honored to be able to see that for sure as well. Yeah, um, where can they um be able to see some of the work that you do currently have available?

SPEAKER_01 19:31

Sure. So on my website, benkellerart.com, and uh there's a lot more that I haven't posted yet, but they'll be on there shortly. Or my Instagram account, Ben Keller CT. Handle at Ben Keller CT. There you go.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Yeah, make sure to tap in with my uh with Ben Keller, some amazing artists, definitely doing a lot of great work, and this is what it's all about here on the open palette is bringing the information, the artist, mind to you, the people. Stay tapped in. Make sure to like, comment, subscribe. Tell a friend to tell a friend. Thank you for your time, y'all. Peace. Peace.