The Faroese Chronicle

After a solid year of painting, Bensley’s new show the Faroese Chronicle is ready. “The exhibition is a rather serious chronicle seen through the rose-tinted lens of the Faroese Knitting Club in the Faroe Islands and my love for that part of the world,” said Bensley.

“I’ve been visiting the Faroe Islands for 15 years and have built wonderful relationship with 11 quirky, sometimes simply stark staring mad, but profoundly sincere friends,” Bensley said with a grin. “I have travelled with this small clique to a dozen countries and have learned that the Faroese people are open-minded, curious, and celebrate life like no one else. And now I am blessed to be the storyteller of a most obscure and untold chronicle.”

Visitors will take away with them an understanding that the Faroe Islands is not just a remote picture postcard wilderness in the Arctic circle, but a close-knit society that hangs tenaciously on to its precious history perhaps more than anywhere in the world. Bensley’s artistry clearly captures the soul of the Faroe Islands and its people and should entertain both critics and novices equally.

Purpose
All of Bensley’s work, be it artistic or in hospitality, has a meaningful purpose. A concerned conservationist and passionate philanthropist, he works tirelessly to raise funds for the Shinta Mani Foundation outreach projects in Cambodia. Bensley is extremely dedicated to the important work the Foundation does, making a real difference to the lives of local villagers and families in these communities as well as conservation. One hundred percent of proceeds raised through the sale of the artworks will go directly to these projects.

Prices range from USD 6,000 to 8,500 and each artwork will be assigned to and raise funds for a specific project covering the four pillars of the Foundation: education, health care, conservation/environment and direct assistance. Projects include providing fully funded scholarships for students at the Shinta Mani Hospitality School in Siem Reap, provision of clean water via direct pipe systems, Kohler water filters water wells, providing micro-loans to support a variety of causes for impoverished families such as bicycles for children to make it easier for them to attend school. The Foundation also works with closely with NGO Wildlife Alliance on a number of conservation and wildlife protection projects.