Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Segre-Lewis.
Hi Chris, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
In college, I studied both communication and art. After graduating, I made the decision to pursue artfully by earning an MFA in painting. During my MFA thesis exhibition, a Lexington gallery approached me about representation. I then began teaching in higher education while also producing solo exhibitions and commissions. Over the next few years, I found myself represented by various regional galleries in Atlanta, GA, Lexington, KY and Nashville, TN.
The direction of my paintings developed as I worked in small residences in Indonesia and Ireland and Israel. I found myself searching the world for landscapes that embodied atmospheric vistas while carrying spiritual content. The landscape of the American west held a particular fascination to me. Large scale exhibitions were germinated by questions such as, “How did the pioneers know when to stop when heading west?”, and, “Was there some visual/spiritual connection to their homeland which caused them to settle in specific regions?” These works found publication in Studio Visit Magazine, American Art Collector, and the Journal of Western Art and Architecture. My investment in the landscape of the West increased as gallery representation was added in Jackson Hole, WY, SantaFe, NM, and Scottsdale, AZ, (Horizon Fine Art, Jackson, WY/ Meyer Gallery, SantaFe, NM/ Marshall Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ).
As a small owner, my goal is to supply/create the most original artworks that encourage the viewer to see the greater landscape as created by God (the great artist). I endeavor to make works of various media (oil, watercolor, drawings) available for collection by individuals, corporations, museums, that increase in value.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been fairly smooth. The greatest difficulty is making sure every work is excellent and growing in originality. If the work is original-beautiful, having the highest quality, the endeavoring collector will find it. Devoting the appropriate time to the artwork while also balancing life as a husband, father of four and an art professor becomes a juggling act. Family must come first but there’s also no shortcuts to being a producing artist.
Concerning time, art production, and family; we only have so much time in our lives. Recently I made a decision to reallocate my time. I tend to spend Saturdays in the studio. My wife and I decided it was time for me to build by children a treehouse. Over the next year and a half, I worked on a very challenging and creative treehouse. It was my chance to invest in my children and their children one day. Without a doubt, my painting production decreased creating a greater demand without the time to respond with a corresponding supply. My business account may have dropped, but my relational account was overflowing.
Another parallel struggle is the relationship between investing in art students and investing time into making art. This is another balancing act. If I were not teaching, I could make twice as much artwork for purchase, yet, my relational investment would be lacking.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for large-scale semi-abstract panoramic vistas. My particular sweet spot is the merging of modern design sensibilities with a lens of the Divine fingerprint in the landscape. I am a colorist by nature. Much of the courses I teach surround color theory.
I am most proud of my practice of extracting the spiritual atmosphere of particular landscapes and region; while creating a work that can be read both representationally and abstractly.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Purchasing art is an artist’s bread and butter. I sell works from small to very large. I also do commissions. Folks can contact me personally through my website or Instagram account. They can purchase through the various galleries or my personal business.
Pricing:
- 700$-22,000$ and up depending on the size of the work.
- Work is priced by size and consistent on the national market.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrissegrelewis.com
- Instagram: @chrissegrelewis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.segrelewis
