No Starving Artist

Dallas Art Wizard Racks Up $1.6 Million in Sales, Adds Wallpapers and Fabrics to Her Lineup

By Rebecca Sherman // Dec 1, 2015

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Dallas artist Carol Benson Cobb recently launched her first collections of upholstery fabric and wall coverings.

Benson Cobb's upholstery samples are displayed on racks.

A selection from Benson Cobb's canvas wallpaper line.

An artist's tools

It’s been a busy season for Dallas artist Carol Benson Cobb, who launched her first collections of upholstery fabric and wall coverings at High Point Market in October. Highly textural, the artist’s original works are reproduced onto canvas wallpaper and yards of Belgian linen.

“It’s a natural progression,” says Benson Cobb, who founded Benson Cobb studios in 2012 to produce large-scale giclée and reproductions of her original paintings for the wholesale market.

The idea to add wallpaper and fabric to her lineup came while experimenting with printing options two years ago. “I took my canvas, turned it over and ran it through the printer on the gesso side,” says Cobb. “It was such a cool look. Once I saw my work printed on linen, there was no turning back.”

CBC_TEXTILES — Linen is a fantastic vehicle for Carol Benson Cobb’s artwork.

Cobb — whose work is known for its gentle hues and abstract, calm landscapes — moved her BC Gallery + Studio last year to the Dallas Design District at 1411 Dragon Street. Walk-in customers are welcome, and the showroom is a dream for interior designers and their clients who want to commission or customize artwork.

“Big-scale artwork is our bread and butter,” says the artist, who creates custom collections that are sold through Calvin Klein Home, Neiman Marcus and Williams-Sonoma Home. “In four years, we’ve gone from zero to $1.6 million in sales.” The stereotype of the starving artist need not apply.

Wall coverings and fabrics, through BC Gallery + Studio, 1411 Dragon St., 877.883.7298, bensoncobb.com/our-locations; Napa Home, 4012 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.520.4880, napa-home.myshopify.com