Mike Bennett (artist) explained

Mike Bennett
Nationality:American
Alma Mater:Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Known For:Visual art
Notable Works:Wonderwood

Mike Bennett is an American visual artist based in Portland, Oregon. He studied art education and has worked as a preschool teacher.[1]

Early life and education

Originally from Massachusetts, Bennett was raised in central Pennsylvania. In 2012, he studied animation, art education, computer design, and illustration at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.[2]

Career

Bennett installed large plywood cartoon characters in 2019.[3] [4] [5] In 2020, he partnered with Miller Paint to offer Earth Day kits.[6] He also hosted a collection called Crypto Zoo outside his house in 2020.[7] Bennett's A to Zoo[8] [9] and A, B, Sea projects were exhibited at Director Park. Bioluminescent Beasts was displayed at Pioneer Place in 2022 as part of the Portland Winter Light Festival.[10] Dinolandia was exhibited in downtown Portland in 2022.[11] [12] [13]

In 2023, Bennett hid fifty artworks for people to find as part of a Zelda-themed scavenger hunt.[14] He also hosted a moving sale and released Halloween-themed yard art in 2023.[15] [16] Painted Pines was exhibited at the Lloyd Center in early 2024.[17] [18] The Cool Creature Crawl was held at the Oregon Zoo in 2024.[19] [20] Bennet also hosted the seasonal pop-up shop Snow Day Village at Director Park in 2024. The shop debuted stuffed animals based on his visual work.[21] [22]

Bennet contributed a plywood work to Robot Alley. He also designed MidCity SmashedBurger's mascot, who appears in the company's logo. He opened Wonderwood in 2022.[23] [24] [25] In 2022, Bennett was recognized as a distinguished alumni of his high school for his work in the visual arts.[26]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Acker . Lizzy . 2021-04-19 . Portland artist Mike Bennett is making his yard into a 'magical' aquarium alphabet this spring . 2022-07-22 . . en . 2021-10-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016205532/https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2021/04/portland-artist-mike-bennett-is-making-his-yard-into-a-magical-aquarium-alphabet-this-spring.html . live .
  2. Web site: Turnquist . Kristi . 2019-06-17 . Pokémon in the park? Portland man’s cartoon cutouts pop up all over city . 2024-11-10 . The Oregonian . en.
  3. Web site: Vondersmith . Jason . 2019-06-10 . Mike Bennett turns Portland into land of cartoon giants . 2024-11-10 . . en.
  4. News: 2019-05-30 . Cartoon scavenger hunts brighten Portland . 2024-11-10 . . en-GB . 2022-11-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221127062142/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48432705 . live .
  5. Web site: 2019-05-20 . Portland-based artist creates scavenger hunt, hides memes and cartoons across city . 2024-11-10 . . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2020-04-21 . Paint like Portland's Mike Bennett with these $20 Earth Day kits . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230321014805/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/bring-some-hope-to-your-neighborhood-with-these-mike-bennett-x-miller-paint-collab-crafts/283-64e11338-0cad-4162-9b80-a0c100103713 . 2023-03-21 . 2024-11-10 . KGW . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2020-09-23 . Halloween Might Be Canceled This Year. Don’t Tell That to Mike Bennett. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220702085132/https://www.wweek.com/arts/visual-arts/2020/09/22/halloween-might-be-cancelled-this-year-dont-tell-that-to-mike-bennett/ . 2022-07-02 . 2024-11-10 . . en.
  8. Web site: Nakamura . Beth . 2020-05-15 . Mike Bennett’s outdoor art installation ‘A to Zoo’ showcases alphabet of animals in Alberta neighborhood, inspires musical collaboration with composer Joe Kye . 2024-11-10 . The Oregonian . en . 2023-06-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230603235155/https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/05/mike-bennetts-outdoor-art-installation-a-to-zoo-showcases-alphabet-of-animals-in-alberta-neighborhood-inspires-musical-collaboration-with-composer-joe-kye.html . live .
  9. Web site: Mahoney . Teresa . 2020-04-25 . Drive-by ‘zoo’ pops up in Portland’s Alberta neighborhood . 2024-11-10 . The Oregonian . en . 2022-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221111174850/https://www.oregonlive.com/teamoregon/2020/04/drive-by-zoo-pops-up-in-portlands-alberta-neighborhood.html . live .
  10. Web site: Stein . Rosemarie . 2022-01-31 . Portland's self-guided Winter Light Festival glows for 9 nights . 2022-07-22 . The Oregonian . en . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708211351/https://www.oregonlive.com/events/2022/01/portlands-self-guided-winter-light-festival-glows-for-9-nights.html . live .
  11. Web site: Dinolandia, an Immersive Museum of Mike Bennett Art, Will Open Downtown This Spring . 2022-07-22 . Willamette Week . en . 2022-05-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220503000633/https://www.wweek.com/arts/2022/03/28/dinolandia-an-immersive-musuem-of-mike-bennett-art-will-open-downtown-this-spring/ . live .
  12. Web site: Portland artist Mike Bennett loves dinosaurs. He thinks you'll love them too after visiting his pop-up museum, Dinolandia. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714205738/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/06/12/portland-artist-mike-bennett-dinosaurs-dinolandia/ . 2022-07-14 . 2022-07-22 . . en.
  13. Web site: Dinolandia brings Jurassic thrills to downtown Portland . 2024-11-10 . Oregon Public Broadcasting . en . 2023-12-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231205075839/https://www.opb.org/article/2022/06/09/dinolandia-brings-jurassic-thrills-to-downtown-portland/ . live .
  14. News: May 19, 2023 . Mike Bennett to hide Zelda-themed art around Portland Saturday . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231209150843/https://www.koin.com/local/mike-bennett-to-hide-zelda-themed-art-around-portland-saturday/ . December 9, 2023 . November 10, 2024 . KOIN.
  15. News: August 30, 2023 . Paint with Mike Bennett at his ‘MEGA’ moving sale this weekend . KOIN.
  16. News: October 4, 2023 . Mike Bennett releases new series of Halloween decorations . KOIN . November 10, 2024 . December 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202091426/https://www.koin.com/news/portland/mike-bennett-releases-new-series-of-halloween-decorations/ . live .
  17. Web site: Vondersmith . Jason . 2023-09-07 . Lloyd Center's top floor transforms to Mike Bennett's 'Painted Pines' in early 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026233520/https://www.portlandtribune.com/lifestyle/lloyd-centers-top-floor-transforms-to-mike-bennetts-painted-pines-in-early-2024/article_053d5dd6-4ce8-11ee-be71-4f650f2d9ddf.html . 2023-10-26 . 2024-11-10 . Portland Tribune . en.
  18. News: September 6, 2023 . Lloyd Center’s top floor transforms to Mike Bennett’s Painted Pines in early 2024 . KOIN . November 10, 2024 . February 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217234016/https://www.koin.com/news/portland/lloyd-centers-top-floor-transforms-to-mike-bennetts-painted-pines-in-early-2024/ . live .
  19. Web site: Vondersmith . Jason . 2024-03-21 . Try to find Mike Bennett's animals during 'Cool Creature Crawl' at Oregon Zoo . 2024-11-10 . PortlandTribune.com . en . 2024-03-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240329200912/https://www.portlandtribune.com/lifestyle/try-to-find-mike-bennetts-animals-during-cool-creature-crawl-at-oregon-zoo/article_fc109dd8-e7c2-11ee-850a-5b5e050bf489.html . live .
  20. Web site: 2024-03-20 . 'Cool Creature Crawl' debuts at zoo . 2024-11-10 . KATU . en . 2024-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240321043820/https://katu.com/news/local/cool-creature-crawl-debuts-at-zoo . live .
  21. Web site: 2024-11-14 . Mike Bennett to debut line of stuffed animals for the holidays . 2024-11-15 . KOIN . en-US.
  22. Web site: Haynes . Dana . 2024-11-14 . Holidays popping up in downtown Portland . 2024-11-15 . Portland Tribune . en.
  23. Web site: Acker . Lizzy . 2022-08-26 . Portland artist Mike Bennett to open immersive adventure space and coffee shop in St. Johns . 2024-11-10 . The Oregonian . en . 2023-03-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230329040238/https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2022/08/portland-artist-mike-bennett-to-open-immersive-adventure-space-and-coffee-shop-in-st-johns.html . live .
  24. Web site: Acker . Lizzy . 2022-10-20 . Mike Bennett’s Wonderwood Springs brings a whimsical world to Portland . 2024-11-10 . The Oregonian . en . 2023-10-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008032541/https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2022/10/mike-bennetts-wonderwood-springs-brings-a-whimsical-world-to-portland.html . live .
  25. News: October 18, 2022 . Portland’s Mike Bennett opens new medieval cafe, immersive art exhibit . KOIN . November 10, 2024 . December 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210083255/https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/portlands-mike-bennett-opens-new-medieval-cafe-immersive-art-exhibit/ . live .
  26. Web site: Moore . Marcia . October 4, 2022 . Selinsgrove High School Alumni Banquet scheduled for Nov. 5 . The Daily Item . November 6, 2022 . November 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221106152234/https://www.dailyitem.com/news/selinsgrove-high-school-alumni-banquet-scheduled-for-nov-5/article_358ea28a-4346-11ed-862d-abf05bf92e4a.html?fbclid=IwAR3kJOO96oXeVxLfD3fBuG2RBNZYtyb6C5VG78Dqzu4miR2hUSLQT8g5VlI . live .

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