ARTIST FEATURE

Adam Lewis

BRINGING LINES TO LIFE

KEALY DONALDSON

IT’S FUNNY HOW sometimes life moves in circles! After my interview with Adam Lewis, I recalled talking to him about doing a personalized art piece for one of my children years ago. At the time I had thought how cool this concept was, inspiring youth through graffiti-style media. This time, we started off the interview discussing birthdays. “I’m turning 40 in July,” he boasts. “It sure has gone quickly. It feels like a milestone! Geez, 40,” he says with a laugh.

Lewis grew up in Cape Mudge on Quadra Island, and revisited some of his childhood memories with me. “Growing up on Quadra really fostered my art style. The island is very creative as a whole," he says. "I grew up across the road from the Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre which is my nation’s—We Wai Kai—historical museum. My friends and I used to visit it all the time and really focused on the traditional style of art from our ancestors."

Both Lewis' parents still live on Quadra Island and they visit often. "My mom is artsy; she loves to work in the yard and had me painting at a young age,” Lewis says fondly. Lewis grew up with other First Nations Artists who still inspire him today; Artist Raymond Shaw is one friend whose talent and artistic influence in his life he has a deep respect for. He adds KC Hall’s graphic style to this list.

“Technology has really changed the dynamics of my body of work. I’m learning form line and really embracing the idea of traditional art fused with my graphic art style. When I was younger, I was concerned about producing form line perfectly and think it deterred me from working with it but not now, I’m ready,” Lewis shares. He produces mostly commission work and recently has been doing full scale murals; he recently completed one in Campbellton for Duke’s Grill as well as an amazing piece on a local Shrimping vessel, MV Diesel. Lewis is getting prepared for another commercial piece for a K’omoks based Food Truck. “I love working with spray paint! It flows for me; I can complete a piece in no time. I’m ready to incorporate bigger ideas into form line designs highlighting my graphic art style, delivering an art fusion of two worlds,” he adds. Lewis keeps his studio filled with some of his favourite personal pieces and has decided he won’t part with them, ever—instead keeping them for his family and his own appreciation.

Lewis has so many interests in Art. He knows his hands, one day, will not be as agile as they are now. He wants to be able to create every day he can. Still heavily influenced by hip hop, Lewis is falling in love with form line. Representing himself as an Artist, he hasn’t been involved with galleries. “I am a working Artist so commissions pay the bills. I am very focused on what’s in front of me—my family and commissions,” he notes. Lewis creates these special Graffiti Name Canvases by commission. He created a driftwood piece he built on a commercial fishing trip. His crew mate on the trip was giving him a hard time, so Lewis' wife told him to paint 'Alex', the crew mate’s son, on it and gift it to him. A decade later, 2000 name canvases have been commissioned and completed. Lewis enjoys doing them all year round but at Christmas time, he produces a few dozen and feels special that his work is part of building holiday family memories.

I know I will be working with Art every day—and that is a life-long dream and pleasure.

Lewis has his own family inspirations, his son being very special to him. He recently created a frog design after he had been out in the yard with his son. They were listening to frog calls and had a wonderful Father/Son discussion and fun frog hunt after. Adam was inspired to draw a form line version of a frog to share with his boy. Lewis shared the strength in his family relationships; his paternal grandfather was a Chief for Cape Mudge / We Wai Kai years ago. He passed away when Lewis' father was young, in his 20s. Lewis shared that his grandfather was very involved in politics and didn’t always have great amount of time to spend with family. Lewis has a strong relationship with his father and shares that with his own son.

When asked what his future holds, Lewis responds with happiness in his voice; more mural commissions coming up this spring and summer. He’s working on designs and his application for the Hub City Mural Festival in Nanaimo. It had been postponed because of Covid but returns August 3-17, 2022. Lewis feels rewarded in so many ways, “I used to think I had to draw everyday so my talent wouldn’t leave me; now I’m in a place knowing that I will be working with Art every day— and that is a life-long dream and pleasure”. Lewis currently resides on the Quinsam Reserve in Campbell River with his wife and two and half year old son.