Jhenna Quinn Lewis: Avian Realms

Jhenna Quinn Lewis Av i a n R e a l m s

Jhenna Quinn Lewis Av i a n R e a l m s December 17 - 29, 2021

Meyer Gallery 225 Canyon Road Santa Fe, NM 87501 505.983.1434 800.779.7387 www.meyergalleries.com

For her 2021 solo exhibition at Meyer Gallery, Oregon-based artist Jhenna Quinn Lewis presents a new body of minimalist, avian-inspired paintings depicting highly realistic birds in quiet still-life settings. Avian Realms opens on December 17th with an opening reception from 5-7pm.

Lewis’ painting style is largely inspired by Japanese art as she is particularly drawn to the austere beauty of silk screens, the flat patterning found in wood block prints, and the rhythmic meter of haiku poetry. Her current body of work continues to have an Asian influence in its presentation, with references to the style both in composition and subject matter. “I came upon a beautiful Asian-style blossom wallpaper pattern that I have used in a number of works,” she says of her new paintings. “I have enjoyed seeing the results of its graceful curves against my soft and dusky atmospheric colors. It accentuates the birds with a beautiful rhythmic pattern.”

While playfully presented, Lewis’ birds are highly realistic as they represent specific species. Her subjects in this show feature passerines, known as migrating song birds or perching birds. The birds are depicted in still-life scenes with a whimsical nature as they help themselves to missing keys, lost earrings, or stolen jewels. Birds with jewelry is a recurring theme in this show, with Lewis referencing Renaissance masters as her inspiration for the subject.

Lewis removes all that is unnecessary in her compositions, exercising restraint and simplicity. Her painting technique involves a limited color palette and many layers of glaze and varnish, which she says “gives a greater sense of atmosphere and jewel-like appearance to the avian subject matter.”

Her stylistically simple compositions emphasize negative space for a soothing mood. “My pieces are about exploring a mediative state of mind,” she says.

Lewis began studying art in 1976 at the University of Illinois, where she also took courses on the Japanese Tea Ceremony and the art of flower arrangement, sparking her interest in Japanese philosophies. Lewis worked as a gallery owner and art director in Ferndale, California before ultimately pursuing her passion to become a full-time painter. Her work has since been featured in publications such as Southwest Art Magazine and American Art Collector, with a 2020 feature in Fine Art Connoisseur. Her paintings are included in numerous public and private collections including a commissioned painting for the collection of Lawton Chiles, the former Governor of California.

What! Not Us. We are Vegetarians oil

12 x 24

Always oil

12 x 9

Without Asking

oil

12 x 6

Contemplation

oil

8x8

Before They are Missed oil

16 x 12

I Don’t Think it is the Right One oil

14 x 11

Summons oil

24 x 12

Within Silence oil

14 x 11

The Bird Who Waited oil

14 x 11

Symbol of Devotion oil

8x6

Presence oil

8x6

Where The Jewels Belong oil

12 x 9

Remembrance oil

12 x 9

Chazutsu

oil

12 x 9

A Keepsake oil

8x6

Price List What! Not Us. We are Vegetarians

oil

12 x 24

$6,000

Always

oil

12 x 9

$4,500

Without Asking

oil

12 x 6

$3,500

Contemplation

oil

8x8

$2,600

Before They Are Missed

oil

16 x 12

$5,800

I Don’t Think it is the Right One

oil

14 x 11

$5,200

Summons

oil

24 x 12

$6,000

Within Silence

oil

14 x 11

$5,500

The Bird Who Waited

oil

14 x 11

$5,500

Symbol of Devotion

oil

8x6

$2,800

Presence

oil

8x6

$2,400

Where the Jewels Belong

oil

12 x 9

$4,800

Remembrance

oil

12 x 9

$4,500

Chazutsu

oil

12 x 9

$4,500

A Keepsake

oil

8x6

$2,400

Meyer Gallery 225 Canyon Road Santa Fe, NM 87501 505.983.1434 800.779.7387 www.meyergalleries.com