Meet the amazing talent behind CFCC’s 2023 Student Art Exhibition Best in Show entry

Taisha Benjamin, a native of Wilmington, has been honing her artistic abilities since she was a child, taking inspiration from her mother, who was also an artist. From a young age, Taisha was certain that she wanted to pursue a career in the visual arts.

Taisha’s talent has been further cultivated by her studies at CFCC, where she has had the opportunity to develop her skills. Notably, she found her drawing classes with CFCC Art Instructors Abby Perry, Deborah Quinn, and Benjamin Billingsley to be particularly enjoyable and valuable.

“My instructors really pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Taisha stated. “They were so supportive and encouraged me to test my limits and learn new techniques.”

That encouragement paid off. Taisha’s painting Head in the Clouds took home the Best in Show award at the 2023 CFCC Student Art Exhibition.

Before Taisha heads off to ECU to pursue her bachelor’s degree in visual arts/illustration, she sat down with us to share a little more about her experience at CFCC as well as more of her growing portfolio.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ENROLL AT CFCC? WHY DID IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

I enrolled at CFCC because I want to further my education in fine arts and transfer to a four-year college. This made sense to me because I was interested in grabbing the opportunity to further my goals by attending an affordable institution within my hometown.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CFCC?

My experience at CFCC has been great! They offer a lot of opportunities for their students.

DID YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CLASS?

I really enjoyed Drawing 1 and 2. Abby Perry and Ben Bilingsley are great instructors and offered lots of encouragement.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER GRADUATION?

I plan to transfer to ECU and after I graduate, and I will look for a good job in my field as an illustrator.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING STUDYING AT CFCC?

Definitely take advantage of clubs, go to the library to research, and study in quiet!