Karen E. Lewis
“The picture of me painting is a little like Lemony Snicket, do you not agree?
Hmmm… who is Lemony Snicket, you ask? Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler, an author of several children’s books, also serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (his best-known work) and a character within it and All the Wrong Questions.
Painting the Many Moods of Water
“If oil is my medium, then water is my element. My attachment to water began when I was a kid, at a lake cabin in the Poconos, where I swam among the water lilies and Sunnies. I graduated from the rowboat to a canoe and went rock hopping down the Monongahela. Whitewater kayaking escalated to slalom racing in the Northwest, then nationally, then at pre-world championships in Bala, Wales. With Northwest Outward Bound, I guided rafters down the Deschutes River.
Cloud Cycle, 12 x 24, by Karen E. Lewis
When you spend that much time on rivers, you learn to read the water, looking at swirls for clues to what moves beneath. Which way is the river flowing? Which little ripples signify underwater rocks, and which are a disturbance of wind? Contemplating the sky, I notice that it has its own currents, and a radiance that comes from heat, atmosphere, and the intermixture of air masses.
Violet Sky and Waves, 36 x 36, by Karen E. Lewis
Water became a natural subject for me to paint. In addition, hey, I just like being there. For many contented hours, I paint from some special spot with sights, sounds and smells of the outdoors around me. River, lake, ocean, water of any kind is always my favorite. In the studio, these plein-air sketches expand into larger works, creating retreats that transport me to that special place.
Sand Makers, 9 x 12, by Karen E. Lewis
From intimate experience, I use oil paints to describe the natural world as color in motion: skies, waters, and even growing things in their relative stillness. Sweeping brushstrokes express the fluidity of air and water in richly colored shapes. The solidity of rock and earth give grounding to this motion, carved with form-defining marks. Connecting earth and sky are the reaching growths of grasses and trees. I have been out painting the many moods of water. In paintings, I share my journeys with you.
RECENT KUDOS
2017 Beaver Tales Art Sale and Exhibition
Honorable Mention, Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competition
2010 Poster Artist, Sunriver Music Festival
Featured Artist, Sunriver Arts Faire
Paint the Parks national competition, Second 100
Low Light and Waves, 12 x 16, by Karen E. Lewis
Save the date and time.
Seaside First Saturday Art Walk on July 1st, 5-7:pm.
Fairweather House and Gallery welcomes Karen E. Lewis.
Opening reception for WAVES, an exhibition, through July.
For more info please visit http://www.facebook.com/ Seaside First Saturday Art Walk
Fairweather House and Gallery had the wonderful opportunity to be a venue for the 2017 Beaver Tales Art Exhibition and Sale in Seaside. And, now, Karen E. Lewis is the first Beaver Tales artist to show new art in the gallery. Her water work just perfect for the July WAVES exhibition. Now on our 11th year, Fairweather House and Gallery exhibits original work by a select group of NW artists. Welcome, Karen!
For more about the traveling Beaver Tales Art Exhibition and Sale, please visit http://www.the gilbert district wordpress.com/ …Beaver Tales…
Q: How do you find the artists to exhibit in the gallery, you ask?
A: We are very, very fortunate to have peeps that gather like souls to our house.
Finding Karen E. Lewis, the backstory.
When The Beaver Tales Art Sale and Exhibition opened in Seaside, Sara Vickerman, curator for the Beaver Tales venues, wrote about the work Fairweather’s did to support the traveling exhibit.
“Denise Fairweather did an incredible job of securing the pop-up space, furniture and accessories (even beaver sticks) for the display, which resulted in a lovely presentation. Her careful attention to detail and perfectionism are overwhelming. Even before it officially opened, visitors poured in to view the art. The exhibit is divided between the Fairweather Gallery at 612 Broadway and adjacent pop-up space Beaver Tales at 608 Broadway. Seaside First Saturday Art Walk was a great success, attracting quite a crowd of beaver art enthusiasts.” Sara Vickerman
And when The Beaver Tales Exhibition space in Seaside closed at the end of May, Sara Vickerman curator, wrote: “wrapping up the most successful showing to date. We sold 25 pieces of beaver art. The art was distributed between the Fairweather Gallery and adjacent pop-up space. The success of the show is likely attributable to the support of the three conservation organizational sponsors, consistent and effective promotion by Denise Fairweather, extensive local media coverage, and of course, outstanding contributions by the artists.”
