I am an English visual artist living and working on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. My work is centered around direct observation and being outside. I often depict birds, working primarily in watercolour. Studies of living birds are made in the field, while dead birds are taken to the studio. Painting outside is a means to an end – a gateway through which I can make a meaningful connection to my physical environment.
Much of my work is centered on understanding and examining the natural landscape, and I often work with time-based structures in some way or other. I often feel the need to create some sort of structure or framework within which to work – the forced imposition of rules seems to free me from making superfluous choices, and allows me instead to concentrate on changes in space and time, and how to depict them. Whilst most of my work tends to be quick, observation-based, and instinctual, I am also interested in the more composed and studio-based practice of printmaking.
My day-to-day practice is very diverse: I work from my studio on Bornholm and hold regular exhibitions on the island and beyond. Over the years, I have exhibited in Denmark, the UK, Sweden, the USA, and Turkey. I teach summer art courses at Bornholm’s Højskole, and hold private art classes throughout the year, mostly on Bornholm but also further afield. I sometimes take on commercial illustration projects. As well as creating my own projects, exhibitions, and books, I have been lucky enough to take part in many artists’ residencies in Europe and North America.
My work is organised into different sections within the Galleries and Projects menu. Go to Purchase original art to find out how to buy my paintings. You can always contact me here.
Selected CV below, click here for a detailed CV as a seperate document
SELECTED MEDIA
Interview på TV2 Bornholm om året det gik (dansk) 2025 https://www.tv2bornholm.dk/bornholm/jordnaer-kultur-med-ben-woodhams-3d0c0
Documentary on LAND project and exhibition (Dasnk) https://www.tv2bornholm.dk/area/specifiktv/id/888601
Visual Bornholm (magazine article, English og Dansk) https://visualbornholm.com/steder/ben-woodhams/
Book review of LAND in Kulturinformation (Dansk) https://kulturinformation.org/boganmeldelse-ben-woodhams-land/
Book review of KYST in Naturmagasinet (Dansk) https://naturmagasinet.dk/boganmeldelse-kyst/
‘Ben Woodhams – et år langs de Bornholmske kyster: en dokumentar om KYST projektet’ (Danish) http://play.tv2bornholm.dk/?Area=specifiktv&id=290242
Øens TV: Interview om KYST project (Dansk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoNF1ji3gJQ
SELECTED RESIDENCIES
‘The Heartbeat and Lifeblood of an Alaskan Rainforest’, Artists for Nature project residency, Cordova and Copper River Delta, Alaska, USA (2025 & 2026).
‘Massingham Heath’, Society of Wildlife Artists Residency, Norfolk, UK (2025).
‘Klippekroppe, Performing Landscapes’, Metropolis (2023).
‘The Wadden Sea’, Society of Wildlife Artists Residency, Vadehavet, Denmark (2019 & 2022).
‘Sweetgum Forest’, Society of Wildlife Artists Residency, Turkey (2016).
SUPPORTED BY…
…amongst others, Lærestandens Brandforsikring
Brødrene Larsens Rejselegat
Bornholms Kunstråd.
MEMBERSHIPS
Artist Member of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA)
Affiliated artist of Artists for Nature Foundation (ANF)
Vice chairman of Bornholms Kunst- og Kultur Råd
AWARDS
RSPB Award, Natural Eye, London Mall Galleries (2021)
Birdwatch Artist of the Year, London, UK (2019)
Bornholms Kulturpris 2018 (Bornholm’s Culture Award), TV2 Bornholm
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Bornholms Fugle, J. Christensen, et al (illustrations) 2026.
LAND, Ben Woodhams, 2024. Haunted by the Tide, M. Brodde, Colin Edwards et al (featured artist) 2023.
ERTHOLMENE, Ben Woodhams (NaturBornholm), 2021.
Red Sixty Seven, Kit Jewitt (British Trust for Ornithology) 2020.
KYST, Ben Woodhams (NaturBornholm) 2019.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
LAND, Gudhjem Museum, Bornholm, Denmark, 2024.
FIRKANTER, Svanekegården, Bornholm, Denmark, 2022.
KYST, Donald Watson SOC Gallery, Aberlady, Scotland, 2019.
Breaking Through, Galleri Rasch, Bornholm, Denmark, 2016.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
The Natural Eye, Society of Wildlife Artists. Mall Galleries, London, UK, 2014 – 2026.
Land, Trymwood Gallery, Bristol, UK, 2025.
Fugle, Johannes Larsen Museum, Kerteminde, Denmark, 2025.
Vadehavet, (Society of Wildlife Artists Wadden Sea project Exhibition), Fanø Kunstmuseum, Denmark, 2023.
Walking Landscapes, Bornholms Kunstmuseum, Denmark, 2022.
Earthbound III, Gudhjem Museum, Bornholm, Denmark, 2020.
SELECTED ILLUSTRATIONS
Bornholms Fugle, 12 x illustration for book on Bornholm’s Birds, 2025.
Branded Artwork for Feria Internacional de Turismo Ornitologica, Bird and Nature Festival in Extramadura, Spain, 2023.
National Park Almindingen, illustrations for planned National Park on Bornholm, for Skov- og Naturstyrelsen, 2022.
Bats of Bornholm, illustrations for Bat House in Rø, Bornholm. Skov- og Naturstyrelsen, 2021.
De Danske Dinosaurer, illustrations for a book and exhibition on dinosaurs, NaturBornholm, 2016.
PUBLIC WORKS / UDSMYKNINGER
Mural at Rønne Privat School, Rønne, Bornholm, Denmark, 2024.
‘Bøgernes Universe’, interior murals for the Aakirkeby Library and School, 2018.
TEACHING
Tutor, Watercolour painting course, Bornholms Højskole, Denmark, 2019 – 2026.
Coordinator and part-time art tutor, Bornholms Billedskole (Bornholm’s Art School), Denmark, 2011 – 2025.
Kunsthåndværker Forløb, Heldagsskolen, 2022, 2024.
Land Art Course, for de pykiske syge, Kommandanthøjen, Bornholm, 2015 – 2017.
AOF summer camp Art Course, for recently arrived refugees from Eritrea and Syria (with exhibition at Galleri Rasch), 2015.
EDUCATION AND FAMILY
I am married with three adult children. Before moving to Denmark in 2008, I worked in museums and galleries as an exhibition curator in Bath, Bristol, and Birmingham.
I have a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design from Brighton Art College, a BA in Indonesian Language, with South East Asian Art & Archaeology, from SOAS, University of London (First Class Hons), and an MA in Museum Studies from Leicester University.
www.benwoodhams.com 