I pass by the blue narrow doorway to Ben Askem’s Art Studio in High Street in St Albans curious to see what kind of art is being exhibited. I climb the stairs. As soon as I enter the studio, I am surrounded by dynamic and vibrant works of art.

Initially, I gravitate towards the Marvel and DC comic characters on display. A huge canvas of Spiderman dynamically poised on the roof of some New York skyscraper is stunning. I love the feeling it exudes. Spiderman has been intimately portrayed. It feels as if he has landed on my windowsill for a few seconds and has come to say hello peering in and gazing at me. It just feels larger than life and so immediate as if the image has been painted in to fit into a small camera lens. The colours are vibrant and commanding and the artist has captured the agility and dexterity of this comic book super-hero.

The next artwork to capture my eye is a close up ‘portrait’ of Darth Vader on canvas. I stare into it then make a decision at lightning speed to commission the artist to paint one for my husband’s birthday. In the blink of an eye, that’s his birthday present sorted! I just know that he’ll love it! Ben has captured that frightening ruthlessness of this Jedi who has fallen from grace and yet when he says “It is too late for me, my son,” we all know that there is a chink in his dark armour that will lead him back to the light.

I turn around and am greeted by Ben Askem, the artist. We start chatting and I tell him about how I love these comic characters and the way he has so vividly expressed their qualities. We’re standing beside a huge landscape canvas of The Incredible Hulk. I’m fascinated by how Ben has captured his primal rage with such realism. As an artist he shows a distinct flair in picking up both the horror and comic aspects of the character, the various shades of green and brown blend while being able to dramatically express his depth of emotion.

I must admit, the comic-themed artwork is my favourite but of course, as well as these iconic and popular super-heroes, Ben has a vast selection of other subjects of interest such as the human form, landscapes, cityscapes, portraiture and pop culture. I have a leisurely look around at the artworks and several people I know come to mind; a cousin would love this quirky portrait of John Lydon, and an old school-friend would be over the moon with Ben’s stylised depictions of Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest Formula One racing drivers of all time.

A Watford-born artist, Ben has painted over a thousand works of art encompassing many subjects. I’m drawn to a panoramic canvas rich with the urban intricacy of downtown New York (I sense some technical drawing experience in the painstaking detail of the cityscape). Ben then points out a recent commission and I’m fascinated by how he has captured Freddie Mercury’s electrifying performance at Wembley Arena in 1987 on canvas, a recent commission.

As a child, Ben remembers how his mother would buy a Beano and Dandy annual every Christmas for him and his brother, and how he’d sit there for hours drawing and then colouring in the characters with his huge collection of felt tips and colouring pencils. He’d get lost in the zone, transported by the stories, fascinated by the character, their journeys, their outfits. “I always had to be creating something,” he recollects.

Ben completed his art diploma in Watford; he enjoyed learning about various artistic techniques and developing a love of building textures using colourful acrylic and oil paints on canvas and experimenting with translucent and ink washes. The course triggered a fascination with technical drawing and graphic communication. Ben mentions how exciting it was studying art before computers took a hold and reminisces about how his early drawing and colouring techniques included airbrushing; he mentions artists like Roger Dean and Boris Vallejo, best known for their fantastical eclectic work on posters and album covers.

After selling his artwork through various galleries he opened his own working studio and gallery over ten years ago. Ben feels comfortable in his role as a commercial artist, being challenged to continually depict familiar characters in a new and imaginative light, to capture the complexity of the character and adapt it into his own style. As a commercial artist he has cultivated the flexibility to adapt to his client’s personal requests. I discover from Ben’s website that he rotates his work so that there is an ever-changing stock available.

I ask Ben who is his favourite comic character, and he feels that it is an impossible question. I push him for an answer, and he admits that it has to be Batman. “Batman’s back story is fascinating," he says. "There are so many dimensions to his character.”

I totally understand and nod in agreement. We chat about Bruce Wayne, heir and orphan to Gotham City socialites who seeks justice against criminals, and how his wealth enables him to develop advanced technologies such as the armoured Batmobile.

As I leave, I notice a painting of my favourite character from Star Wars, C-3PO hung on the wall of the staircase. Wow! I love it and get the feeling I’ll be back in the summertime around my birthday. I can see it on my study wall now. Perfect! Ben explains that it is a mixed media on metal.

“You’ve used such vibrant golden and solar yellow oils.” I observe. Ben explains that it is part of the 'Reflection Series' artwork created on metals sheet using a mysterious blend of pigments and potions that he has developed.

When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I intuitively sense that a little more girl power is needed in this studio and teasingly remind Ben, “I’d like to maybe see a huge canvas of Wonder Woman next time I call, or how about one on the seductive Cat Woman. After all, you do have a soft spot for Batman, and she has always been his most enduring love interest!”

  • Marisa Laycock moved to St Albans in 2000. She enjoys sharing her experiences of living in the city. These columns are also available as podcasts from 92.6 FM Radio Verulam at www.radioverulam.com/smallcitylife