Stanley Lewis, View from the Porch, East Side of House , 2003-2006, Acrylic on canvas 38 3/4” x 48”
Yesterday I posted drawings by Stanley Lewis. Lewis was one of the influences listed by Charity Baker at the New York Studio School. Looking through Lewis’ art and writing, I found an interview on Painting Perceptions that talked about his methods, and his influences:
“[Painting from perception] often feels like a horribly impossible thing to do but you somehow do it anyway.” – Stanley Lewis on Painting Perceptions
Lewis says that one way to paint what you see accurately is to figure out the proportions and use a frame. The rectangle of the frame helps to determine the relationship where the verticals and horizontals intersect. Then you work to unify and relate the pieces spatially to each other.
View from Barn Window , 2008, Oil on canvas 14” x 14”View from the Barn Window (Detail) 2011,Oil on canvas 16” x 23 1/4”
Honestly, if I hadn’t taken Jonathan Harkham’s class I would think Lewis is talking about the standard struggle to paint as I knew it, the way I learned it in school, but these guys are using the language in a different way, their paintings have something special in them. They’re doing a different thing. It’s complicated and exciting … and I’m starting to get it.
Stanley Lewis, Still Life with Photograph of Karen, late 1970s, oil on masonite 48″ x 54¾”
“It can get very complicated; it’s difficult to explain. When you try to get everything working like this you realize that it actually can’t be done. How do you find a consistent stabilizing position? That’s what I’m interested in and that’s what I’ve been trying to do for my whole life.” – Lewis
Stanley Lewis, Corner of Connecticut Ave. and Calvert St. , 2002, acrylic on paper, 40″ x 45½”
Wilbur Niewald
Lewis worked with Niewald at Kansas City Art Institute for 17 years, and says that Wilbur Niewald, now approaching 95 years old, had a huge influence on his style, and carries the key to perceptual painting in America.
“You have got to find out about his paintings (…) Wilbur is an interpreter of Cézanne and Mondrian.” – Lewis
Following his advice, I looked up Wilbur Niewald. More in the next post.
With experience copying classical antique sculptures in Florence, Francis Harwood created this exceptional sculpture which combined the elements of classical sculpture with the subject of a more modern (1700s) Black individual – a subject we do not frequently have the privilege of seeing. In fact, this noble bust by Francis Harwood is one of the …
It’s time for me to introduce new experiments into my paintings. I’m taking a look back at surfaces, and how to alter the surface to have a different effect on my final painting. How can I get more finely tuned? How can I get more playful? How can I get more volume or color so my …
A search for indigo dye brought me a glimpse of these stunning treasures. While indigo is common as a clothing dye and (often now synthetic) indigo is worn all around the world as a near religious love of blue jeans, these Buddhist works on indigo-dyed paper are anything but common. In the 11th century, many …
Day 12: George Washington The instructions were to finish an unfinished portrait of George Washington. If you’ve gone into instagram or padlet and searched for #30SAL, you have probably seen some of the fabulous contributions from artists like you. From out of the dozens of interesting artworks responding to this challenge, here are a few. …
Stanley Lewis talks about his mentor
Yesterday I posted drawings by Stanley Lewis. Lewis was one of the influences listed by Charity Baker at the New York Studio School. Looking through Lewis’ art and writing, I found an interview on Painting Perceptions that talked about his methods, and his influences:
“[Painting from perception] often feels like a horribly impossible thing to do but you somehow do it anyway.” – Stanley Lewis on Painting Perceptions
Lewis says that one way to paint what you see accurately is to figure out the proportions and use a frame. The rectangle of the frame helps to determine the relationship where the verticals and horizontals intersect. Then you work to unify and relate the pieces spatially to each other.
Honestly, if I hadn’t taken Jonathan Harkham’s class I would think Lewis is talking about the standard struggle to paint as I knew it, the way I learned it in school, but these guys are using the language in a different way, their paintings have something special in them. They’re doing a different thing. It’s complicated and exciting … and I’m starting to get it.
“It can get very complicated; it’s difficult to explain. When you try to get everything working like this you realize that it actually can’t be done. How do you find a consistent stabilizing position? That’s what I’m interested in and that’s what I’ve been trying to do for my whole life.” – Lewis
Lewis worked with Niewald at Kansas City Art Institute for 17 years, and says that Wilbur Niewald, now approaching 95 years old, had a huge influence on his style, and carries the key to perceptual painting in America.
“You have got to find out about his paintings (…) Wilbur is an interpreter of Cézanne and Mondrian.” – Lewis
Following his advice, I looked up Wilbur Niewald. More in the next post.
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Bust of a Man
With experience copying classical antique sculptures in Florence, Francis Harwood created this exceptional sculpture which combined the elements of classical sculpture with the subject of a more modern (1700s) Black individual – a subject we do not frequently have the privilege of seeing. In fact, this noble bust by Francis Harwood is one of the …
Grounds for…
It’s time for me to introduce new experiments into my paintings. I’m taking a look back at surfaces, and how to alter the surface to have a different effect on my final painting. How can I get more finely tuned? How can I get more playful? How can I get more volume or color so my …
Silver, Gold on Indigo Paper
A search for indigo dye brought me a glimpse of these stunning treasures. While indigo is common as a clothing dye and (often now synthetic) indigo is worn all around the world as a near religious love of blue jeans, these Buddhist works on indigo-dyed paper are anything but common. In the 11th century, many …
#30SAL Faves: George Washington
Day 12: George Washington The instructions were to finish an unfinished portrait of George Washington. If you’ve gone into instagram or padlet and searched for #30SAL, you have probably seen some of the fabulous contributions from artists like you. From out of the dozens of interesting artworks responding to this challenge, here are a few. …