About the Gallery
Letting the figure speak
Clay narrative sculptures
The clay sculptures Linda Lewis creates deal with common themes between people: love, parenthood, family & the search for fulfillment. Instead of focusing on the figure she tells the story through the use of facial expressions, the tilt of the head , the shifting of the stance, as well as the texture of the surface & the use of symbols. Titles are added to each piece to support the narrative of each piece: anything from 'The harassed housewife' to 'Daydreaming' to 'Just between us'. Her inspiration comes not only from her own life but from the stories of those she listens to in her everyday life.
The pieces are slab built from clay with a combination of surface applications of glazes, slips, terra sigillatta, oxides and overglazes and multi fired to cone 04. Her unique glazing techniques causes crazing (or crackling) on the surface of the glaze. The overglaze is applied and sprayed off allowing the black colorant settle into the cracks and crevices giving the piece a raku-fired appearance.
Like many artists, Linda got a bachelors degree in art and also something more practical i.e. teaching. For the next 34 years she worked as an educator in the Des Moines Schools until she took a workshop given by a narrative sculptor in Santa Fe, New Mexico that reignited her passion for creating objects. She now works full time as an artist creating figurative sculptures from clay. Over the last 4 years Linda has exhibited her sculptures at nationally recognized juried art festivals, galleries, exhibitions and most recently at SOFA Chicago. She has received several awards including best of show, first place in sculpture as well as recognition in national print media.
Linda can be found working in her studio at Mainframe Studios in Des Moines and occasionally in her home studio where she lives with her Husband Vincent. They have four grown children and 6 grandchildren.
Resume
Linda Lewis
515-224-1276
Solo Exhibitions
2020 Becoming, Davis University, Ks.
2017 Quad City Airport, Quincy Il.
2016 We're all under the same sky, Central College, Pella, Ia
2013 Dreams for our children, Scottish Rite Park, Des Moines, Ia.
2013 Mother's and their dreams, Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, MN
2012 Mother's and their dreams, Charles City Art Center, Charles City, MN
2011 Finding Voice, Graceland University, Lamoni, Ia
Group Exhibitions/juried/Invitationals
2020 Art of Our Time, Olson-Larsen Galleries, Valley Junction, Ia
2020 Art of Our Time, Mainframe Studios, 900 Keo Way, Des Moines, iowa
2020 35th Annual Iowa Exhibited 2020 (digital), Polk County Heritage Gallery, Des Moines, Ia
2017 -2019 The Human Form, Hilliard Gallery, KC, Mo
2016 6th Annual Workhouse Clay International 2016, Workhouse Clay center, Lorton, Va
2016 The Human Form, Hilliard Gallery, Kansas City, MO
2016 Teapots! 10, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh Penn.
2015 DUMA Biennial, Dubuque Museum of Art
2009-2020 Faculty show, Des Moines Art Center
2014 Linda and Vince Lewis, Marshaltown The Perfect Setting Gallery, Marshaltown, Ia
2013 It's good to be small, Chait Gallery, Iowa City, Ia
2013 Heritage Art Gallery, Des Moines, Ia
2009-19 SOFA Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
2012, 13 Art Palm Beach, Palm Beach, FL
2011-2012 National Clay, paper, wood, glass metal, textile exhibition, Octagon Center, Ames, Ia.
2011 Lovers, Mothers & their Dreams; Polk County Heritage Gallery
2011 Lovers, Mothers & their Dreams; Octagon Center, Ames, Ia
2011 Finding Voice, Graceland University, Lamoni, Ia
2010 The Figure; Burlington Art Center, Burlington, Ia.
2009 Small Works; Chait Gallery, Downtown; Iowa City, Ia.
2009 Exhibit XIV; Heritage Gallery; Des Moines, Ia
2008 Linda Lewis & Jane Chukas; Outside the Lines Gallery, Dubuque, Ia.
2008 Life from mud; Charles City ARt museum, Charles City, Ia
2008 Exhibit XX1; Heritage Gallery; Des Moines, Ia
2007 The haunting and the hilarious; The Downtown Chait Gallery, Iowa City, Ia.
2007 Exhibit XV; Heritage Gallery; Des Moines, Ia
2007 Plays well with others:a collaboration between artists, From Our Hands, Des Moines, Ia.
2007 New Works from Linda Lewis, Diane Mattern & N. Briggs; From Our Hands, Des Moines, Ia.
2006 Earthen Treasures; From Our Hands, Des Moines, Ia.
2006 Galleries in the Gallery; Polk County Heritage Gallery, Des Moines, Ia.
Juried Exhibitions/Art Festivals
2020 35th Annual Exhibited 2020, Polk County Heritage Gallery, Des Moines, Ia
2015-17 Art Festivals: Old Town, Chicago, Edina Art Festival, Des Moines Arts Festival, Uptown Art Festival, Minneapolis, Plaza Art Festival, Kansas City, Brookside Art Annual, KC, St Louis Art Fair, Art in the Pearl, Portland, Or.
2014 Art Festivals: ACC, St. Paul, MN; Brookside, Kansas City, MO, Lakefront, Milwaukee, WI, Des Moines Arts Festival, DSM, Ia, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO, Art of the Square, Madison, WI, Marion Arts Festival, Marion, Ia.
2014 It's good to be small, Chait Gallery, Iowa City, Iowa
2013 Cup Exhibition, LUX Center, Lincoln, NE
2013 Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines, Ia.
2011-15 Faculty Art Exhibit, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, Ia
2012 Lakefront Festival, Milwaukee, WI; Brookside Festival, Kanas City, MO; Des Moines Festival; On the square, Madison WI
2011 Des Moines Art Festival, Marian Art Festival, Iowa City AF, Krasl AF, Loveland Sculpture Festival, SOFA Chicago
2010 Cherry Creek Art Festival, Denver, Co. Des Moines Art Festival, Loveland Invitational Sculpture Festival, Iowa Art Festival, Krasal Art Festival, St. Joseph, Ia.
2009 Plaza Art Festival, Kansas City, Des Moines Art Festival, Loring Park Art Festival, Minneapolis, Krasl ArtFestival, St. Joseph, MI, Crested Butte Art Festival, Crested Butte, Co, Iowa Arts Festival, Iowa City, Ia.
2008 Metro Arts, Two Rivers Festival, Des Moines, Ia.Marion Arts Festival, Marion, Ia., Iowa Arts Festival, Iowa City, Ia., Iowa Sculpture Festival, Newton, Ia., Krasl Art Festival, St. Joseph, MI, Uptown Art Festival, Minneapolis, MN.
2007 Greater Des Moines Exhibited 14; Polk County Heritage Gallery, Iowa Exhibited 21; Polk County Heritage Gallery, Uptown Arts Festival, Minneapolis, Mn., Iowa Arts Festival; Iowa City, Ia., Iowa Sculpture Festival; Newton, Ia., Uptown Art Festival, Minneapolis, Mn.
2006 Iowa Sculpture Festival; Newton, Ia, Iowa Exhibited 21; Polk County Heritage Art Gallery , Des Moines, Ia.
Teaching
2009-present Des Moines Art Center, Narrative Sculpture, Bringing the Figure to Life
Art Camp for teens, Clay planter heads, and several more
2014-16 Children and Family Urban Movement, Gender Specific Programs.
2012 Amana Art Center, Narrative Figures, Amana, Ia.
Public site
Charles City Art Center; It takes a village, Charles City, Ia.
Women's Health Center, Mother and Child, Evanston, Il.
Sculpt Siouxland, Sioux City, Ia
Community of Christ; Dark Night of the Soul; Independence, MO.
Charles City Art Center; Working on Calluses; Charles City, Ia.
Downtown School; The Pied Teacher; Des Moines, Ia.
Awards
2020 Best in Show, Exhibited 2020, Polk County Heritage Gallery, Des Moines, Ia
2019 Best of show 3D, Brookside Art Annual, Kansas City, Mo
2017 Best of 3D, Brookside Art Annual, Kansas City, Mo
2013 Best of Show, It's good to be small, Chait Gallery Downtown, Iowa City, Ia
2011 Best of Show, National Clay, paper, textile, wood, glass metal exhibition; Octagon Center, Ames, Ia
2009 Merit Award, Exhibit XIV; Heritage Gallery; Des Moines, Ia
2009 Best of Sculpture, Krasl Art Festival, St. Joseph, MI.
2009 First place, Iowa Art Festival, Iowa City, Ia
2008 Honorable mention, Iowa Sculpture Festival, Newton, Ia.
2007 First Place, Clay: Artbuzz, 2008 Collection
2007 Finalist, Uptown Arts Festival, Minneapolis, Mn.
2007 3rd Place, Sculpture Competition, Sculptural Pursuit
2007 3rd Place, Iowa Arts Festival, Iowa City, Ia.
2006 2nd Place, Iowa Sculpture Festival, Newton, Iowa
Publications
2017 Mainframe Studios Video, Des Moines, Ia.
2010 Western Art Collector, Review of Loveland Sculpture Festivals
2009 Des Moines Register, Artist Review
2009 Spotlight Art, Linda Lewis, DSM magazine
2008 Artbuzz; 2008 Collection
2007 "Linda Lewis, Narrative Sculpture", Sculptural Pursuit ,Fall,
2006 "Thou art the best"-art category, Jim Duncan, Cityview, Des Moines, Ia.
2006 “The bearable likeness of being,”Jim Duncan, City View, Des Moines, Ia.
2006 “Clay’s the thing,” Michael Morain, Des Moines Register, Des Moines,Ia.
Gallery Representation
Button Gallery, Douglas, Mi.
Terzaian Gallery, Park City, Ut.
Lanesboro Art Center, Lanesboro, Mn.
Artisans in the Loop, University City, Mo
Maria Elena Karvetz Gallery, Cordoba, Argentina
Outside the Lines, Dubuque, Ia. and Galena, Il.
Education
2018 TJ Erdal, Anderson Ranch, Aspen, Co
2016 Cristina Cordova, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, Montana
2015 Kensuka Yamada, Santa Fe Clay, NM
2014 Akio Takamori, Anderson Ranch, Aspen, Co
2014 Adrian Arleo, Santa Fe Clay, NM
2013 Kelly Garrett-Rathbone, Santa Fe Clay, Santa Fe, NM
2012 Making the figure from clay, Claudia Olds Goldie, Santa Fe Clay, NM.
2011 Large Scale Figures; Lisa Reinertson; Santa Fe Clay, NM
2010 Pottery Personas, Esther Shimazu; Santa Fe Clay, NM
2009 Imaginative figures in clay, Janis Mars Wunderlich; Mudfire, Atlanta, Ga
2007 The figure; Judy Fox, Santa Fe Clay, NM
2006 Figure-Form-Surface-Vessel; Andy Nacisse, Santa Fe Clay, NM
2006 Sculpting the Figure; Rick Stewart, Des Moines Art Center , RDG Dahlquist Clayworks
2006 Handbuilding; Chris Rodi, DSM Art Center , RDG Dahlquist Clayworks
2006 Mold Making; Rick Stewart, DSM Art Center , RDG Dahlquist Clayworks
2005 Storytelling, narrative sculpture; Debra Fritz; Santa Fe, NM .
2003-2006 Various ceramics classes through the DSM Art center, Des Moines, Ia.
1989 Drake University , MSE
1975 Graceland University, BA; education and art
Born
Vassar, Mi.
Lives in West Des Moines, Ia with her husband Vincent. Her studio is at Mainframe Studios, Studio 435 900 Keo Way, Des Moines, Ia. She has 4 grown children who have been the source of many of her pieces.
