About the Artist

Ben Bires is a small town transplant from Western Pennsylvania making a living in Colorado Springs as an artist and teacher. He grew up on seven acres with a pond in his backyard and spent most of his childhood exploring the outdoors. Following in his grandmother’s artistic footsteps, he began drawing at an early age before diving into paint later on in high school. 

While attending Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Ben took his first trip Out West in 2011 to South Dakota’s Badlands National Park, which turned out to be a life-changing experience. Ever since, he’s been fascinated with the variety of geologic formations left behind after years of erosion carved into the rock and sediment. 

​In 2016, he moved here to the Springs with his wife searching for new opportunities before roots became too deep in their hometown. For the past two years, Ben has been teaching monthly art classes at Cottonwood Center for the Arts and moved into a studio last November. He offers workshops, multi-week classes and private lessons to help those who want to get familiar painting landscapes with acrylic paint. 

Studio 127, Cottonwood Center for the Arts

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