Barbara Laurie PARTNERS

Hart-Benton was born in Italy to affluent Russian parents whose ancestors fled to Europe at the onset of the Russian Revolution,

He was raised with an old world sensibility, surrounded by luxury, elegance, and culture.  The Arts, in all of it's forms were an ever present influence and painting, dance, music and the art of fashion became his passions. 

 

He studied at the illustrious Central Saint Martin in London where his talent for design and his appreciation of fashion as an art form set in motion a career designing at the premiere fashion houses Emanuel Ungaro, Guy Laroche and Givenchy.

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London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles served as his stage. 

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After many years of creating memorable pieces for the endlessly competitive fashion industry Hart-Benton started to feel restless. He felt something was missing, but couldn't quite put his finger on the it. He knew he needed to make a change.

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He decided that the fashion world was no longer what it was when he started his journey and it was no longer fulfilling his creative spirit. 

“I feel it has changed to a point where it is not an art anymore. The beauty of fashion, which is really art and wonder, is gone. It’s now all about how much money you can make and everything is so commercialized. It kind of hurt me not just as a designer, mostly as an artist, as a human being.”

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Hart-Benton decided to take a leap of faith, to give up the comfort and security of working as a respected fashion designer and pursue his passion as an artist.

 

Charles unleashed his creativity on thick Archer’s paper, applying colored pencils, markers and sometimes watercolors to bring to life characters which had been brewing inside him for a long time. 

One character in particular became his muse. He called her Stella and created her background and persona. She became the daughter of a privileged family from Goring England, in love with fashion and always dressed in the latest Haute Couture from the best designers and accessorized with pieces from her own, very eclectic closet.

Stella was born.

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From that moment on, Hart-Benton has never looked back. Stella is now surrounded by her friends Barbala, Amy, Cassandra, Lady Henriette Hughes of Torbay and others.

All have become darlings of the fashion world with many well heeled designers and creatives requesting pieces for their private homes and work spaces.

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Hart-Benton has been invited to exhibit Stella at the Walker Hotel in Chelsea NY and the Andaz Salon in the Mayakoba Hotel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

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His book of drawings and paintings of Stella and friends

"The Illustrious Work of Charles Hart-Benton" can be purchased online at

blurb.com and amazon.com

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Artists website

charleshartbenton.studio

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Artists Instagram @Stellapicks

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Contact:

Barbara Laurie

barbara@barbaralaurie.com

Instargram @barbaralauriepartners

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