Jhenna Quinn Lewis Seeking Shibui
Meyer Gallery
Jhenna Quinn Lewis
In Seeking Shibui: A Balance of Simplicity and Complexity, Jhenna Quinn
Lewis brings together the quiet elegance of natural forms and the crafted beauty of human artifacts. Birds, flowers, and butterflies coexist harmoniously with personal treasures such as tetsubin tea pots, evoking a balance between the organic and the man-made. This juxtaposition, inspired by Japanese aesthetics, reveals the hidden beauty of ordinary moments and objects, embodying the concept of shibui—a profound appreciation for simplicity that holds deeper complexity.
Lewis’ artistic approach reflects her lifelong connection to Japanese philosophy and art forms such as chanoyu (the tea ceremony) and wabi-sabi. “Shibui describes a profound, unassuming, quiet feeling,” she reflects, quoting Elizabeth Gordon, former editor in chief of House Beautiful. “It is unobtrusive and unostentatious. It may have hidden attainments, but they are not paraded or displayed… Shibui is never complicated or contrived. Shibui beauty, as in the beauty of the tea ceremony, is beauty that makes an artist of the viewer.”
This series is a deeply personal exploration of memory and connection, where the interplay of negative space and fine detail invites reflection. Lewis describes her process as focusing on “how little a composition needs to effectively communicate what I see and appreciate.” The resulting works embody the quiet elegance of haiku poetry, offering a moment of stillness that encourages us to see nature and the everyday in a new but familiar light.
Beginning with Tea oil 14 x 11
Settling In oil 9 x 12
Slipping into Shadows oil 9 x 12
Tea with Kachô-e oil
When I Cannot Stay IV oil
Between Earth and Sky oil
Silent Bell oil 24 x 18
The
Of Lilies and Plums oil 6 x
12
16 x 8
Songbird Under the Camellia oil
Where’s Waldo Pear oil 8 x 6
I Am Only Taking This One oil 6 x 8
Prosperity oil 10 x 8
Still Waiting oil 8 x 6
Memory of Spring oil 8 x 6
Golden Gift oil 8 x 6
Jhenna Quinn Lewis
Seeking Shibui
Price list
Beginning with Tea
Settling In
Slipping into Shadows
Tea with Kacho-e
When I Cannot Stay IV (In Blue)
Butterfly’s in Sight, Journey’s End
Between Earth and Sky
Pale Colors of Winter
The Silent Bell Of Lilies and Plums
Songbird Under the Camellia
(all dimensions are unframed)
Jhenna Quinn Lewis Seeking Shibui
