Esther Lewis, a visionary and multifaceted artists, lived from 1912 to 1990. She graduated from the Cincinnati Art Academy and received a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Art from California State University at Los Angeles. Mrs. Lewis studied art at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles with the late Sister Mary Corita. She received a Tamarind Grant and exhibited in more than 250 juried and invitational art shows. Mrs. Lewis exhibited her works in a Women’s Exchange Show in Russia and in Four One Woman Shows in Japan sponsored by the American Embassy. Her art works were in Pennsylvania Academy, New Jersey State Museum, and Museum des Belles Artes in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mrs. Lewis also exhibited at the Butler Institute (currently Museum) of American Art at Youngstown University, Hunterdon County Art Center of New Jersey, the Art Association of Newport Rhode Island, Portland Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Seattle Art Museum. She also received many awards in recognition of her art works.

This artist taught art at Los Angeles City College, where her printing press knowns as Big Red is still being used by the art students. She also taught art at the University of California in Riverside. She was a Founder of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society, which was incorporated by her husband, Joseph Lewis, and filed with the California Secretary of State on October 14, 1963. Mrs. Lewis provided gallery and working space for the artist of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society in her husband’s law office building at 818 South Spring Street in the downtown area of Los Angeles. She visualized the growth of the civic center area of Los Angeles with artists living in lofts.

Mrs. Lewis loved printmaking, and enjoyed working with water colors, oils, acrylics and serigraphs. She uses a variety of colors, designs and even embroidery in her art works. She put her heart and soul into her art and was very happy to know that people enjoyed the beauty of her work.

ESTHER LEWIS

1912-1990