I ended 2020, the crazy Covid year, turning 50. As a celebration of both reaching a milestone year and returning to some form of life-normality, I visited Lewis Miller's exhibition at Australian Galleries. After almost an entire year on-screen, I was overwhelmed by the texture of Lewis' painterly approach and the luxury of viewing art in the flesh.
I decided Lewis' artwork was my 50th birthday gift. I had a brief chat to him at the opening and mentioned how much I admired his work and wondered if he was doing any teaching. He invited me to come to his studio and this was the beginning of spending wonderful hours alongside him in his studio.
Aside from being an Archibald prize winner and winner of MANY other notable awards, Lewis is definitely one of Australia's best figurative and still life painters. His generosity of spirit with sharing his wealth of knowledge has been a privilege and an honour. I'm still pinching myself! Below is a glimpse at his studio...a feast for the eyes.
Looking at this palette makes my heart skip a beat!
Lewis at the easel!
Perfect painterly pomegranates...I could stare at them forever.
And behind the scenes.
Paint piling up at the end of each day. Like a piece of art in itself.
Homemade mediums rest on the windowsill like a beautiful still life.
Lewis' artwork pinboard.
Mandarin IV 2018
Oil on Belgian linen, 23cm x 28cm
Large pomegranate 2019
Oil on Belgian linen, 70cm x 79cm
Still life with cutting III 2020
Oil on Belgian linen, 46cm x 61cm
Cutting in glass 2020
Oil on Belgian linen, 41cm x 31cm
Archibald Prize 1998 Portrait of Allan Mitelman no 3
Oil and charcoal on canvas 213.4 x 183 cm
Lewis Miller is on episode 24 of the Talking with Painters podcast series. Definitely worth a listen.
For more information on Lewis Miller's work, contact Australian Galleries.
