James Bentley is a Canadian artist who lives and works on the small island L’Île-Perrot, just off Montreal, Québec. He studied and began his career as a freelance illustrator; a practice which gave him a great love for drawing. Anchored in figuration, he now works mainly with acrylic on canvas and acrylic & pastel on paper. Bentley’s current body of work is focused on the ocean,portraits and figure studies. He is always on the search to paint in an inventive open manner.

EDUCATION

John Abbott College – Fine Arts, Ste-Anne de Bellevue Quebec 1989-1990
Dawson College – Illustration & Design, Montreal Quebec 1991-1993
The Illustration Academy – Liberty Missouri1997-1998
Saidie Bronfman Centre – Drawing The Model, Montreal Quebec 2003-2004

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Galerie d’art Michel Bigué,Saint-Sauveur, Quebec – 2018  
Galerie de la Ville, Dollard des Ormeaux, Quebec – 2012 
Warren G. Flowers Gallery, Montreal – 2010
Campbell House Museum, Toronto – 2009
Campbell House Museum, Toronto – 2008
Chateau Vaudreuil, Montreal – 2001

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto – 2021
Peel Art Gallery Museum & Archives, Brampton, Ontario – 2018
The Kingston Prize, Firehall Theatre, Gananoque, Ontario – 2017
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto – 2015
E.K. Voland Gallery, Montreal – 2014
Galerie McClure, Montreal – 2013
The Artist Project, Toronto – 2011
Sunnyside Beach Art Show, Toronto 2011
Le Salon Du Dessin, Montreal – 2010
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibitionw, Toronto – 2009
Stewart Hall Gallery, Pointe-Claire, Quebec – 2009
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition – 2008
Georges-Vanier Gallery, Montreal – 2007
Warren G. Flowers Gallery, Montreal – 2007
Society of Illustrators Museum, New York – 2004-1999
California State University – 2001
Pacific Design Center, Hollywood, California – 2001
Design Exchange, Toronto, Ontario – 1999-1998

CLIENTS

National Public Radio, National Geographic, Harper Collins, Houghton Mifflin, 
Penguin Publishers,McClelland & Stewart, Tundra Books, Scholastic Publishers,
Canadian Embassy, Orca Books, Napoleon Books, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, Pearson Education,
Pauline Books and Media, Affaires Plus, LDS Living Magazine, Good Times Magazine, 
The National Film Board, Nestle, Avon, E.D. Smith, 
Molson, Hagen, Air Canada, and Bombardier.

ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS

Creative Thresholds – 2017
The Plant – 2010
Pastel Journal – March/April 2003
Applied Arts – Cover Story, Nov/Dec 2000
CMYK Magazine – Fall 1998

AWARDS

Commication Arts-Illustration Annual 44-45
Society of Illustrators (L.A.)- Joseph Morgan Henninger Award- Best of Show, Merit Award (2001)
Society of Illustrators (NY) – Three Merit Awards (1999-2004)
C.A.P.I.C. – One Silver, One Bronze, Two Merit Awards (1998-1999)
LUX  – Two Grand Prix, Two Finalist (2000-2002)
Applied Arts –  Award of Excellence (2002)
Pierrefonds Art Competition – 1st Place (1998)