Artist's Statement
Laura Lewis
There is a quiet, profound beauty in the colors and patterns of the Texas High Plains landscape. This land that is imprinted on my soul and whose majesty is in its openness, expansive vistas, and bounty is the subject of my paintings.
As a High Plains regionalist, I am inspired by the challenge of creating strong compositions out of the extreme horizontals and want to invite the viewer into that big open space – a place to explore, escape to, find rest or seek affirmation.
Patterns are a recurring theme in my paintings as seen in the ripples of the Brazos clay, the waves in the cirrus sky, and the erosion of the canyon bluffs. I love to caress these patterns with paint. Recently I have been adding a more generous paint application with expressive brush strokes to increase the textural element, sometimes using it to increase the illusion of space by accentuating the rich detail of the foreground elements.
My oil paints are like an old friend who has been a participant in my struggles and successes. I have learned many of their idiosyncrasies and surprising responses. When I have a palette with big piles of freshly mixed pigments I feel like a young lady whose dance card is full. They have been my instructors. When I treat them well, they reward me, but if I let them skim over or if I am stingy, they get their revenge.
I paint the beauty of the land and sky because it reflects the character of God to bring hope, renewal and redemption to us. These paintings are my homage to Him.