Watercolor Portrait Paintings

Two works in one Landscape on the back of the portrait. watercolor/paper 19.7 x 41.9 cm

This figurative painting portrays a strong female character in typical American Western pose and dress. Wielding an axe and dressed in a cream fur hat an...

Gilbert Lewis (b.1945). Untitled Male Portrait (Red Sleeveless), 1985. Gouache on museum board, 18 x 22 inches. Framed measurement: 25 x 29.5 inches. Signed and dated upper left. No damage or conservation. Provenance: estate of the artist. Artist statement: Figurative art is a vital active process. The image has its own meaning; not storytelling, not just a picture of a face or a flower. Neither is it simply an exercise in the arrangement of shapes or colors. I want to translate my immediate impression into paint to present the image of an outstretched branch of flowers or a face – direct and simple. My art reflects human concerns expressed symbolically, through fantasy and in a more concrete manner in the process of making the representation itself. Art is my response to the image, the end result of an active process of exploration of the limits of the paint on paper within the confines of representation. The painting of a face is not just a face. My feelings are expressed through these images. My paintings speak to anyone in touch with their own humanity; to anyone else my art may be dismissed as “to personal”. Biography: Gilbert Braddy Lewis born September 25, 1945 in Hampton, Va. Son of David Blake Lewis (born in Atlanta, Ga.) and Gladys Louise Braddy [Lewis] (of Sanford, Fl.); brother of David Blake Lewis (Jr.) and Linda Lewis [Hunter]. The family resides at 3 South Linden Street, Hampton, Va. 1953 until 1962 “I studied from the age of seven, in Virginia, with two well-known Tidewater artists, Jean Craig and the late Allan Jones. The teaching methods of carefully observed studies from nature in charcoal or tempra paint, derived, of course, from the original French academic model, conveyed its impact on my early development; however, my eye and consciousness were mostly activated by the reproductions on the studio wall of works by Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1963-68 Studies at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Franklin Watkins, Hobson Pittman, Morris Blackburn, and Walter Stuempfig. While a student at PAFA he shares apartment [261 South 21st Street] with PAFA students, Jody Pinto and Barbara Sosson. In 1967 he receives PAFA’s: Bergman Prize in Painting; M. Herbert Syme Prize; and Samuel Cresson Memorial Travelling Scholarship. The latter award enables Lewis to travel to Europe during the summer of 1967 where he visits museums. “In 1967, after having seen the Italian master’s work while on scholarship from the Pennsylvania Academy, I was to realize my great influences and to discover the earlier Sienese masters whose clarity and energy still move me.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1968 Horizontal painting [of an interior with a seated woman and cat by a large window] reproduced in black and white in school catalog for Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1968-1969, p. 24. Other students whose works are reproduced include Clayton Anderson, Barkley Hendricks, Paul Kane, Jody Pinto, Bruce Samuelson, Barbara Sosson, and James Victor. Gloria Etting, Philadelphia The Intimate City (New York: A Studio Book – The Viking Press, 1968), photograph of Gilbert Lewis drawing in the cast hall of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts reproduced in the chapter titled, “Art and Collectors,” n.p.. 1974 May 31, 1974, awarded Bachelor of Fine Art degree from the Philadelphia College of Art 1978 Received a Master’s Degree in Creative Arts in Therapy (MCAT) from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia. Gilbert Lewis, The Spontaneous Art Productions of an Institutionalized Geriatric Population: a thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate School, Hahnemann Medical College, March 30, 1978 Late 1970’s to late 1980s/early-1990s, works as art therapist at Manchester House Nursing Center/Home in Media, Pa. 1977 Summer: studies at the American Projective Drawing Institute’s Annual Summer Institute run by Emanuel F. Hammer, Ph.D. 1981 First solo exhibition at Peale House Galleries (East Gallery) of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, March 5 – 27, 1981 “Since art school I’ve turned from oil to media of gouache and pencil, separately and sometimes together. I’m trying to discover for myself the power of observation without sacrificing the passion of the art materials.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1986 Elizabeth Leonard, Painting Flowers, (New York: Watson-Guptill Publications 1986), reproduced in color, pp. 56, 67, 110, and cover Travels to Italy: Florence, Venice… 1988 Work acquired by Philadelphia Museum of Art: Autumn, 1987, gouache, purchased with Julius Bloch Memorial Fund 1991 October 10, receives A.T.R. from American Art Therapy Association, renewed in 1996 1992 Applies to American Academy in Rome, Philadelphia Regional Visiting Artists Program Around this time he has artwork with American Artist Gallery, Wayne, Pa. 1992 (June) lives at 322 South Street. By May 1994 living at 1804 Catharine Street (until January 2017). 1998 Group exhibition: 135th Annual Exhibition of Small Oil Paintings, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Pa., March 22 – April 26, 1998. Awarded Honorable Mention c. 1999-2007+ teaches at PAFA, certificate and continuing education programs (what years?) 2001 Group exhibition: 138th Annual Exhibition of Small Oil Paintings, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Pa., March 25 – April 29, 2001. Awarded Second Award By 2002 until c. 2014 Works at Blick Art Supply store, Philadelphia 2005 An undated artist statement from this time states: “My inspiration for this series came from the work of the nineteenth-century painter, George Catlin, who painted portraits of the American Indians. My portraits serve to commemorate the “tribe” of contemporary creative youth. Most of the studies were painted from life, originally using transparent and opaque watercolors, and in the past five years the series began to include oil studies on panels. In the watercolor paintings, the forms emerge from multiple layers of color, which have an intensity and a luminosity equal to oil painting on canvas, but demands the additional challenge of maintaining the integrity of the paper’s fragile surface. My oil studies, consisting of many layers of oil glazes over an under-painting, approach a look more like the oil paintings of Catlin that had originally inspired me, but these studies seem to have an additional intense almost icon-like quality.” 2008 Peter Weiermair, editor, Treasures of Gay Art from the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation, (All Saints Press, 2008). Resting, 1982, gouache on paper, 44 x 30 inches, Founders’ purchase, 2004.1222.0002, reproduced in color p. 50; Swimmer, 1984, gouache on board, 63.75 x 44 inches, gift of George Dudley, 1994.1222.0001, reproduced in color p. 51 2015 Kevin Clarke, The Art of Looking: The Life and Treasures of Collector Charles Leslie, (Berlin: Bruno Gmünder, 2015), Swimmer reproduced in color p. 182 2017 He moves from his home at 18XX Catherine Street, Philadelphia, to the WaterMark. In January 2018 he is moved to Wyncote House, Pa., an Alzheimer’s care facility. Six works acquired by PAFA. Philadelphia, Pa., Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Recent Acquisitions, summer 2017. Stephan Salisbury, “PAFA’s 32 New Works,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tuesday, July 11, 2017, pp. C-1 and C-6. SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2020 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (July 9 - ), Willliam Way Community Center (July 10 - ), and Woodmere Art Museum (July 16 – October 20), Gilbert Lewis 2004 New York, N.Y., Leslie Lohman Foundation, Gilbert Lewis: Becoming Men • Doug Gruse, “Gilbert Lewis,” Philadelphia Gay News, April 9-15, 2004, pp. 25, 27 and 32; BECOMING MEN: Portrait Paintings by Gilbert Lewis, March 9 – April 17, 2004 127-B Prince Street, (Text from Becoming Men: Portrait Paintings by Gilbert Lewis by Christian Bain, in issue 12 of The ARCHIVE) BECOMING MEN: Portrait Paintings by Gilbert Lewis By Christian Bain Philadelphia artist Gilbert Lewis inspires superlatives. What other artist has been compared to Eakins (whose student was Lewis’ teacher) and Titian in the same Art Matters review, or anywhere else for that matter? Gilbert is also an artist who focuses on the beginning and end of adulthood. During the almost 20 years he worked in a nursing home he painted portraits of elderly patients by day and of young men at night. “One of my motivations in painting has been to celebrate the beginning of adulthood for the young and the final period of life for the old,” Gilbert observes. “What struck me is that both young men and the old are ignored by society. Despite our ostensible focus on youth, young men are in a sort of nether world, no longer teenagers and yet not full adults. They’re in transition with no established identity and no real place in society. “A nursing home is basically an orphanage for elderly adults. It’s a place where people don’t really have their families anymore and visiting relatives and the staff constantly tell them what to do and don’t stop to hear what they have to say. When I was with them doing their portraits we were one on one and we were free to talk about whatever they wanted, with assurance that it would remain confidential. They often told me things even their children didn’t know. “What they had in common with the young men who modeled for me is that they could talk and know that someone was listening. My good fortune was that my young models really appreciated the fact that an adult person was actually there for them and not telling them what to do. I never gave them explicit instructions other than to tell them where to sit or stand. I let them decide how they would do it–I took the queue from each model. “Both the young men and elderly people who sat for me had a sense of trust because I listened to them and didn’t run away. Some of the young models would bring CDs or tapes of their favorite music to play while we sat. “I always painted from live models in gouache, watercolor or oil. The portraits were always completed while the model was still sitting: I only touched up the backgrounds, but never the figures.
“I wish that the exhibition could have colored strings connecting the young men who modeled for me with the models who recommended them and the friends they recommended in turn. It would make a very interesting story.” 1994 Philadelphia, Pa., Rosenfeld Gallery, Gilbert Lewis: watercolors & gouache paintings, April 10 – May 1, 1994, Man in Gray Shirt, 1992, watercolor, 16 x 20 inches, reproduced in color on the postcard. Review: Edward J. Sozanski, “Art. Nudes done dispassionately and romantically, Two very different approaches,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Friday, April 15, 1994, Study watercolor, reproduced. [Bruce Samuelson ‘s exhibition also reviewed] c. 1990 Educational Testing Services, Gilbert Lewis, ten works (checklist): 1- Left Profile; 2- Dancer (Woodmere Art Museum); 3- Studious; 4- Wrestler (collection of Bill Scott); 5. Untitled Portrait; 6. Man in Red and Blue; 7 Man in Blue Sweater; 8- Student; 9- Young Artist; 10- Man with Intense Gaze 1988 Philadelphia, Pa., Gross McCleaf Gallery, Gilbert Lewis: Paintings and Drawings, October 19 – November 5, 1988. Review:s Victoria Donohoe, “On galleries,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Saturday, October 29, 1988, p. 5-D.; Jeanne Nugent, “Pennsylvania: Gilbert Lewis,” New Art Examiner, January 1989, pp. 52-53. Study [reclining nude male...

This is a signed portrait painting done in an outsider, folk art, expressionist style. it is signed in Hebrew, also marked with a Jewish star. this is from a collection of works by t...