Her wide and accurate knowledge of the rural countryside, especially in Texas , Colorado , Arizona and her native California , gives her an unusual sweep of view. A time honored technique of outdoor painting, this “plein-air” style has been favored by many classic landscape painters. Painting outdoors has its obvious charms, but one must be adept at painting quickly in order to capture nature’s fleeting lighting effects. Most noted for her signature "halos of light," Benge's talent for depicting the effects of sunlight and moonlight speak of a subtle sense of mystery. Her atmospheres are often laden with mist, giving a sense of the refreshing quality of early spring-that seasonal touch that is always present in her landscapes.

The daughter of a Baptist minister, Benge became fascinated with drawing at a young age. Her father and several high school art teachers eagerly encouraged her artistic development. Born in a migratory camp hospital near Sacramento , California , Benge became very familiar with rural scenes as she traveled from town to town in California and Texas because of her father's missionary work. As a young adult, her passion for the rural landscape continued to grow. She traveled extensively throughout the U.S. , Europe and the Far East, studying and painting country landscapes-from English cottages and rose gardens to weathered Kentucky barns and ancient fence posts.

Her work has gained a wide following of collectors in the U.S. and Europe, including Baylor University in Waco , TX ; Burt Reynolds; Tom Landry; Byron Nelson and the estate of the late Barbara Stanwyck.

A resident of Austin , TX since 1968, Benge has taught numerous painting workshops in Texas and has generously supported charitable causes by donating her work to fundraising auctions, including Habitat for Humanity, The Austin Symphony League, The March of Dimes, Ballet Austin and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.