One Step Back, LEAPING FORWARD to Go on Display

One Step Back, LEAPING FORWARD is an autobiographical exhibit that depicts Anissa Lewis’ life journey through her painting and printmaking. The exhibit will be on display in the UC Clermont College Art Gallery from April 9-28.
 
"My work is purely autobiographical.  Be it a dream, an emotion, an experience, good, bad, ugly, indifferent, or pure joy, a passing thought or an involved reflection, words said and/or colors felt through conversation or read, these pieces were lived,” said Lewis who was born and raised in Covington, Ky.  She received her bachelor of art from Knox College and her master of fine art in painting and printmaking from Yale University School of Art in 1999.After graduating from Yale University, she moved to Philadelphia where she collaborated on community art projects and teaching.  Some of her collaborations and teaching include:  team teaching arts-based women empowerment classes at a Philadelphia County prison drug and alcohol abuse unit; instructing high school students in creating murals for school and community betterment and participating in an art and social justice group show and panel discussion.

In 2005, Lewis returned to Kentucky to paint full time.  Following this move, her work has shown in numerous solo and group shows from Philadelphia to Atlanta, as well as garnered representation by Avisca Fine Arts, in Atlanta.  With shows scheduled into 2009, those noteworthy are a nationally juried exhibition at Hampton University Museum in Hampton, VA.  The exhibition, titled New Power Generation, highlights “emerging and working artists who are creating new forms and charting new directions.”  She was a guest critic at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.  She also continues her commitment to community by working with youth to paint neighborhood murals.

Lewis will curate two shows in the Cincinnati later this year and travel to Beijing, China to be an artist-in-residence at the Beijing Residency Program.
 
The art gallery is sponsored by Park National Bank and located in the Snyder Building on the UC Clermont College campus in Batavia at 4200 Clermont College Drive. Hours are Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public.