In Faces, Ms. Lewis builds upon her lifelong curiosity of light and shadows, as they form the individuality and personality of all things living. It prepares her for capturing the essence of her subject. Her love and involvement with animals, as a horse breeder, brings a personal knowledge of each muscle, movement and expression. As she applies her brushstrokes or feels the clay under her fingers, they mimic a caress of each subject as it emerges before her. Lewis sees every part of the world as a moving painting, created by the master artist. The obsession with trying to capture the life in it in stillness is what drives Lewis.
The central piece, Ansata Ibn Halima, Son of the Desert, is a meticulously crafted portrait of one of the world’s most celebrated Arabian horses. The portrait spanned over 6 months in its creation, checking and double checking that every hair, every muscle, every part of him was him. Although born in Egypt, and brought to America as a yearling, Lewis chose to set him in the environment his life may have been, had he not made that trip.
“This body of work marks an ambitious evolution in her practice over the past two years, blending traditional oil painting techniques with her experiences as one who explored Europe and the Middle East, its people, and its horses through her involvement with the Arabian horse. Simply put, it is from a love of life in every form.”
Website: https://www.bslewisfineart.com
The AOMAC exhibition will be on view October 10 through December 12, 2026.