General Artist Information:
Name: The Benda Twins (Barbara and Beverly Benda)
Art Discipline: Visual Arts
Grade Level Preference: K-6
Geographic Availability: Throughout North Dakota
Fee per-residency: Negotiable depending on program selected
Email: barbara@barbarabendanagle.com
Website: barbarabendanagle.com
Phone Number: 218-443-1126 (Barbara) 701-610-9529 (Beverly)
Biography:
Barbara Benda holds degrees in Elementary Education and Art Education from Moorhead State University, Moorhead, MN. She taught for 11 years in Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools and 20 years in Fargo, ND, including 8 years teaching middle school art in Fargo. She has been creating art for over 50 years, specializing in sketching, watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media. Since 2014, Barbara has been teaching independently. From teaching community education classes to her 5-day Beginning Drawing and Watercolor workshop, she has dedicated her career to helping others develop their innate artistic talents. In 2023, Barbara created “Birds in Art” an original drawing and watercolor curriculum which combines learning basic art skills with the art of birding and the active experience of exploring and observing nature.
Beverly Benda worked as a Licensed Registered Dietitian in her professional career. She added life coaching certification to her skill set and is the owner of My Coach Bev, a life coaching service. As Barbara's teaching assistant, Beverly utilizes coaching skills to assist reluctant learners.
In 2020, the Benda Twins established a home-based art gallery, Double Trouble Gallery in Moorhead, MN, where they display their artworks and participate in public sales events such as the FMVA Studio Crawl and seasonal art sales events. Barbara has received awards in both local and national juried exhibitions and has held solo exhibitions across North Dakota. In 2019, Barbara and Beverly held their first joint show of over 50 paintings entitled Twintuition at the Red Door Art Gallery in their hometown of Wahpeton, ND. The Benda Twins are members of FMVA (Fargo-Moorhead Visual Artists), Red River Watercolor Society, and the Red Door Art Gallery in Wahpeton, ND.
Teaching Philosophy:
Painting and drawing have been a part of the Benda Twins' lives since they were young. They did not have art education in school until the 9th grade but once given the opportunity, they exhausted every art class offered. They are lifelong learners and continue to expand and practice their skills. To promote optimal learning, they utilize the Nurtured Heart approach in classroom management. This approach allows the teachers to learn and practice art skills instead of focusing on student behavior.
Sample Residency Information:
OPTION 1: Birds in Art: Sketching (4 days)
OPTION 2: Birds in Art: Sketching and Watercolor (5 days)
Objective: Students will develop drawing and/or watercolor painting skills through studying birds, inspired by John James Audubon's work. They will learn contour line drawing, basic forms, and value to create lifelike sketches of birds, culminating in a final artwork. Students will also learn about birdwatching basics and the importance of nature sketching as modeled by John James Audubon.
Description:
Each grade will learn about a different bird – its form, its markings, and its unique characteristics. This creates variety for students in subsequent years of the Birds in Art residency program. There are currently 6 bird species highlighted in this curriculum.
Goals:
- Encourage appreciation of nature and art.
- Develop basic sketching and painting skills.
- Promote lifelong engagement with birdwatching and observational sketching.
Optional Activities:
- Birdwatching Walks: The Benda Twins will lead after-school birdwatching walks to teach students how to listen, look and identify various bird species.
- Community Sketching Class: Barbara will teach “Let’s Sketch Birds!”, to staff and community members who are interested in basic bird sketching techniques.
- Teacher In-service: Barbara will provide teachers with ideas and tools for integrating sketching into every academic subject with the goal of greater comprehension and academic performance.