Benjamin Moss is a visionary and imaginative realism painter whose work emerges from a deeply personal journey through addiction, philosophical inquiry and spiritual transformation.  Raised in a strict Catholic environment in North Dakota, his early understanding of spirituality was shaped by rigid doctrine and fear-based narratives.  His later academic exploration of philosophy dismantled these inherited beliefs, leading him into a period of nihilism and existential crisis that ultimately manifested in struggles with addiction and self-destructive behavior.  This behavior has been a mystery to him however as it didn't stem from any trauma as his parents, Don and Zita, who are still married to this day, were always very loving and supportive.  A formative childhood loss, the tragic murder of a closest cousin by her boyfriend left a lasting emotional imprint, deepening his sensitivity to the fragility of life.  Growing up immersed in fantasy worlds alongside his brothers, playing Dungeons & Dragons and reading Lord of the Rings, Moss developed an early connection to mythic imagination that continues to influence his work.  The middle child of two other siblings, Benjamin found himself becoming independent, rebellious and adaptable. 

     Benjamin's college life was turbulent as his inner world of faith crumbled before the age of reason and critical thinking.  Upon heading down into a spiral of depression and alcohol he left college and relocated to California to pursue a life outside the bible-belt of the midwest.  There something unexpected happened he did not expect.  He discovered psychedelics and festival culture which spawned in him a renewed enthusiasm for spiritual inquiry and possibility.  His first experiences of entheogenic plants and substances catapulted him into meta-physical inquiry.  Moss began to explore all schools of spiritual nature from buddhist meditation to new age manifestation.  He took this spiritual quest with him as he travelled the world through Central and South America, Australia and South East Asia.  He sat in meditation with the monks of Thailand and circled in ceremonies with the shamans of Peru. 

     Upon returning to California he slipped into a few heart-breaking relationships which spun him out into a decade navigating substance abuse with the controversial drug GHB.  At first his use was mild in the form of a social lubricant or an exercise stimulant.  But as his trials and tribulations progressed it spun out of control into a full blown emotional and physical dependancy.  His life was spiraling downward fast in which both prison or death hung on the pendulum of fate.  Unable to pull himself from the echoing cycles of addiction he sought out one of the most powerful entheogenic plants in the world, Iboga, an experience that marked a profound turning point in his recovery. This transformative moment reoriented his relationship to his true self and own childhood dream of artistic purpose, laying the foundation for his current body of work.  He has now been sober from that addiction for over two years now.

​     With more than twenty years of painting experience, Moss now works primarily with the airbrush, sculpting with its capacity for subtle gradation and luminosity to create immersive compositions within the genre of Imaginative Realism. His paintings explore inner psychological and spiritual landscapes, often centered on themes of  transformation, empathy and the transmutation of suffering into growth. Drawing on fantasy & archetypal forms rooted in Celtic and Germanic folklore such as druidic mythology, fae, elves and dragons, his work bridges mythic symbolism with deeply human emotional states.