Max Mallie's Blog: An Imaginary Realm | The Inventive Pastels of Jane Lewis

“The figures in Jane Lewis’ paintings,” writes John Parks, “look out at us from a becalmed, strange and curiously timeless world. Rendered impeccably in subtly shifting tones and hues, the paintings present characters dressed in improbable costumes that seem to belong to a bygone, classical age. And yet, often in the same works, we find elements of modernity—dress, hairstyles and gestures that seem distinctly up to date. Lewis has created a gently magical realm in which historical eras intermingle, the most unlikely things can happen and characters carry expressions of benign enchantment.”

To read the full story, including details on Lewis’ favored tools and a look at her techniques, see the February 2016 issue of Pastel Journal, on sale now at NorthLightShop.com. First, enjoy this gallery of pastels by the artist: