Artist's Biography
Born in New Zealand, Lewis began working with glass in the 1970’s. During the 1980’s his passion for glass took him to Australia, Africa, Canada, England, Scandinavia and Italy. After years of travel and study with masters of the glass medium, Lewis had developed a style that is both distinctive and eclectic.
A storyteller by nature, Lewis is attracted to the endless possibilities in using glass as a medium for communication. His creativity, combined with his experience and technique are his vocabulary and his personal dialog with the glass is evident in both the process as well as the finished product.
His pieces embody his fascination with the sensual, sculptural, optical and functional properties of glass; whether they are representational of the human figure or of exotic animals or explorations of surface pattern or of architectural form; or whether they are inspired by controlled design or by spontaneous humor.
His series of Hei-matau sculptures (pronounced hay-may-tow) is inspired by the traditional Maori art of New Zealand. For the indigenous people of New Zealand, the Hei-matau represents strength, determination, peace, prosperity and good health.
"From the years I spent in my native New Zealand, I developed a great appreciation for organic forms, and my travels created my keen interest in architectural as well as sculptural design," Lewis explains. "I strive to create a symbiosis between these forms in my manipulation with the fluid elasticity that is molten glass. The objects I produce reflect my expression of these forms and my knowledge of the medium of contemporary glass."
Lewis blows each piece freely, without the use of molds, primarily from glass he has formulated. He achieves a color palette that ranges from subtle to bold, using various formulations of metallic oxides and rare earth elements such as silver, cobalt, gold, copper and others blended into the molten glass.
Lewis’s mastery of the ancient process called Latticinio is evident in his Hei-matau series and other pieces that he creates.
Lewis has worked as a glass artist since 1975. Since 1985 Lewis has frequently lectured on glassblowing in New Zealand, Canada, London and New York. He established his own studio, Noslo Glass in 1987. Each piece is signed and dated.
His work can be seen at galleries and juried exhibitions throughout the world and is included in private and public collections.
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