Art - Martin Lewis

‘Landscapes and More’ opens at the Thebes Gallery on Saturday. The ‘landscapes’ from the title are very colourful, bold and sensuous paintings inspired by the remote mountainous area of Berwyn in Mid Wales where Martin Lewis lives. Using acrylic and oil, Lewis’ use of colour is stunning. In ‘Y Cribin – The Ridge’ he uses purple and orange dramatically to produce an autumnal feel to the mountain above Llangynon, the rocky ridge directly in front of his house. Another favourite of mine is ‘Llechweddau - Slopes’: its rich greens and blues capture the serenity of the Tannant Valley. The ‘more’ from the title are Lewis’ still life paintings of fruit and flowers, which are both simple and powerful. His paintings are closely observed from nature, as he told Viva Lewes “my landscapes interpret the unique and unusual atmosphere of the Berwyn Mountains, they seek to reflect something of the atmosphere experienced in this remote area of Wales.”

Lewis is a fine art graduate of Stourbridge and Birmingham Colleges of Art. His post-graduate course was at the Royal Academy, where he was awarded a Leverhulme Bursary and a National David Murray Travelling Scholarship. He visited the Thebes Gallery before selecting the pieces he wanted to show in this exhibition and really liked the space. He was particularly impressed by the unusual shape of the rooms and the architecture of the building - all of which will contribute to the atmosphere of the show. Lewis will be present at ‘Landscapes and More’ from Saturday to Monday. KA