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viewer to experience the feelings associated with the personal interpretation or story the painting represents.
“As I recreate the scene on paper,” says Lewis, “those emotions that were stirred and wanting to come out are brought to life for me again. Hopefully, this is what happens for other people, too. Since the painting is obviously not the actual thing or scene, it takes on certain emotions of its own, as well.
“There’s a focus you get into with the subject matter and yourself. Nothing else exists for me when I’m painting. The sharing with others comes after the painting is done.”
Attracted to watercolor by what he calls the brilliance of the color from the way the light travels through the water and pigment, hits the white paper, and returns to the eye, Lewis feels that this is color that’s alive.
“When I start painting, twothirds of the piece is just blotches of underlying color and shapes,” he says. The last third is the magic. It brings it into focus with defining lines and values. Shadows. Dark to darkest areas. Contract between light and dark. That’s what pops the painting out and makes it become more real. What looks like detail is really attributable to the stroke of the brush. And while these new paintings may look even more complete, they are actually looser. The brush strokes are no longer what I’d call confined or restricted.
“I’m seeing color differently. The contrasts, the lights and darks. The richness has come through, and I’m finally able to express it,” he said.
The show runs through October 23.
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