Lewis Competes in Plein Air Easton 2009 [8/1/2009] Robert Lewis has just completed his participation in the prestigious Plein Air Easton in Easton, Maryland. Please read his blog for full coverage.   Gallery Elite Takes on Robert Lewis [03/04/2008] It's official. The beautiful, two-story Carmel gallery, Gallery Elite, is now representing Robert Lewis in the Monterey Peninsula region. Gallery Elite features an eclectic mix of international artists and styles. All of the work is very colorful and appealing. Please stop by Gallery Elite when you are in Carmel, California. Gallery Elite is located in lovely Carmel-by-the-Sea on San Carlos between 5th and 6th streets. You can contact the gallery at 831-625-2233 or info@galleryelite.net or visit www.galleryelite.net.   Lewis to Compete in 2008 Carmel Art Festival Plein Air Competition [03/01/2008] The Carmel Art Festival has chosen Robert Lewis as one of the competitors in their upcoming plein air competition in May. The competition, featuring some of the top plein air painters in the country, is centered in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, and the surrounding region. This will be Lewis' fourth time in the Carmel Art Festival where he has won awards each time. The 15th Annual Carmel Art Festival runs from May 15th to the 18th. Lewis Opens a Studio in Pacific Grove [09/01/2007]Robert Lewis has signed the lease on a painting studio located in the Pacific Grove Art Center building. After 8 years on a waiting list for the space, his name finally came up. Lewis will use the space specifically for his large paintings such as the one at right, a 4 foot x 5 foot oil on canvas. Lewis Included in Steinbeck Center Exhibit [03/01/2007] Robert Lewis' plein air oil painting "Salinas: Freshly-plowed Fields", shown right, has been chosen as part of the National Steinbeck Center's exhibit "My California: Portals and People ". The exhibit opens at this prestigious museum on March 4, 2007. East Coast Museum Acquires a Robert Lewis [07/30/2006] The Academy Art Museum of Easton, Maryland, an accredited art museum, has just purchased a plein air landscape by Robert Lewis of Pacific Grove, California. "Plein air" paintings are painted outdoors and finished on location. The museum's new acquisition, "Sunrise over Smith Point", 14"x11" oil on canvas, was painted in the plein air competition. Painted on location at sunrise, it shows the warm sun rising over farm fields, beyond a line of trees, glinting in the waters of the Chesapeake estuary. Lewis' painting will become part of the museum's permanent collection. One-Man Show Opens in Baltimore, Maryland [07/01/2006] Robert Lewis will open a one-man show for the month of November in the beautiful Mt. Vernon area of Baltimore, Maryland.

Robert Lewis Honored at the Carmel Art Festival 2006

Robert Lewis' painting "Suspicious Horse: Carmel Valley Pasture" earned an Honorable Mention at the competition.

The Carmel Art Festival 2006 featured its annual heated competition between some of the best plein air landscape painters around. Congratulations to all of the winners.

Lewis will also be competing in June in Big Sur at the Hidden Gardens tour and in July at the Plein Air Competition and Arts Festival of Easton, Maryland.

Founder's Choice Award Ribbon Carmel TomatoFest 2005
Robert Lewis took the Founder's Choice Award given at Gary Ibsen's Carmel TomatoFest 2005. This fabulous event features tomato-tasting of heirloom tomatoes, wine-tasting from dozens of fine wineries, and sample of the best gourmet food from peninsula restaurants. And now it also features a fund-raising art show. Shown at right, the winning painting "Heirloom Jewels of Summer" by Robert Lewis, 24X24 Oil on Wrapped Canvas, $1800.

Above Left, Honorable Mention Winner "To Port: Sunrise on Monterey Bay". Robert Lewis painting the winning painting on location, Above Right.. Photo Courtesy of Pete Silzer

Honorable Mention Winner Carmel Art Festival 2005
Robert Lewis received an Honorable Mention at this prestigious competition with his painting of a fishing boat returning to port at sunrise.

"Morning at the Old Customs House" Monterey, California Robert Lewis Oil on Canvas

First Place Winner Old Monterey Plein Air Festival 2004

Robert Lewis took First Place in the recent plein air competition in Monterey with this 11X14 of the Customs House (Painting SOLD). This painting is temporarily on display at the Robert Lewis Gallery

UPDATED: 11/15/2006

What is Plein Air Landscape Oil Painting?

The painting (right) is a "plein air landscape oil painting". This is a painting of the Monterey harbor. Plein air paintings are painted outdoors, where the scene is, and they are finished the same day. A painting done indoors from a photograph is not a plein air painting.

The French word "plein" is pronounced like the word "plain". It means "open". So plein air means open air. A plein air painting is painted outside in the open air.

A "landscape" painting is a painting of the surrounding land, the landscape. This could be a painting of farm fields, mountains, hills, streams, beaches or anything that you normally see outdoors.

The "oil" part of this refers to the kind of paint used to paint the picture. An oil painting is painted with paints called oil paints, which are a mixture of pigment (powdered colors) and linseed oil. If you mix these two things together you get oil paint. Artist's oil paint usually comes in tubes.