Surreal Graphite Realism by Melissa Cooke Benson
Published Nov 26, 2025
Minneapolis-based artist Melissa Cooke Benson is back on the grid with another mesmerizing series of hyperreal graphite drawings. We last featured her work back in 2015, and these new pieces continue to push the boundaries of what graphite on paper can do.
Working without pencils, Melissa crafts her images by dusting thin layers of graphite onto paper and shaping each form with a dry brush. Details emerge through careful erasing rather than traditional mark-making, giving the drawings a velvety softness free from the shine of heavy pencil strokes.
Her work has been highlighted in New American Painting, Drawing Magazine and other publications, and appears in collections including the Arkansas Art Center, the Museum of Wisconsin Art and the Minnesota Vikings U.S. Bank Stadium Art Collection.
You can explore more of her gorgeous graphite worlds on her website.
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