Past Lives: Desert Oasis Print by Brooke Lewis + 12"x14"

Past Lives: Desert Oasis Print
Brooke Lewis
Paper print
12"h x 14"w

Inspired by an old piece of furniture that I painted on a whim, the imagery and custom frame mirror the beveled features of a night stand, rescued from the dumpster, and given a new colorful life. As an addition to the "Past Lives" series of paintings, this piece explores the interdimensionally of land, sky, and seascapes. The Earth beneath our feet tells an expansive geological story; past lives of ocean where forests now rest, lush jungle that was once arid desert. To ponder the past lives of our landscape is to travel through time, becoming humbled by the vast insignificance of our timeline. 

Get to Know the Austin Artist:
My work is a reflection of not only myself, but of my neural environment—an amalgamation of recurring thoughts, emotions, and interests converging into a colorful (an often blue) depiction. 

I approach each new painting with free, sweeping brushstrokes, aiming for a sense of impressionism, yet gradually, uncontrollably, refining them into smoothly blended forms with meticulous detail that only the brush could foresee. It is a beautiful act of defiance that my hands will not bring to life my intended vision. Each painting is a surprise to my conscious mind, no matter how much planning is involved.

Aside from my oil painting practice, I work in the sciences as a chemical formulator, practice Brazilian jiu jitsu, and care for a small zoo of animals at home, just outside of Austin, where I have lived and worked my entire life.