Jason Lewis

My artwork represents the landscape as I have observed it. The paintings and drawings represent real places, most of them near my home in western PA. Many of the places I choose to represent are in some way memorable, such as rivers, roads or other significant landmarks. I am interested in the way man’s activities coexist and intermingle with the natural landscape in rural areas.
I take a naturalistic approach to depicting the landscape. I use photographic reference in the studio to produce most of my finished works; however, I do not consider myself to be a photorealist. The photos are a tool used both for designing and for recording facts about my subject. As I work, I refer to the photographs, but also rely on my memories of observing the landscape and on my recollections of paintings done by other artists whom I admire.
In my work, I try to balance my strict attention to detail with a freedom to manipulate the overall structure and effect of my images. I try to use gradation, lines and rhythms to create a sense of space and time in a dynamic way. My goal is to orchestrate works of art that not only emulate the beauty of the landscape but also operate as an expression of my personal response to it.