Lewis’ ‘Deep Roots/Old Strength’ painting exhibition opens Feb. 5

The Lord Hall Gallery at the University of Maine presents an exhibition of the transfixing landscapes of UMaine art professor Michael H. Lewis.

“Deep Roots/Old Strength,” which runs from Feb. 5 through March 25, includes a selection of Lewis’ paintings dating from 1967–2008. An artist’s reception is scheduled from 5:30–7 p.m. Feb. 5.

Lewis uses a process of oil-based turpentine wash to create translucent and radiant landscapes that reflect not only the “beauty and diversity of Maine’s physical landscape” but also offers “an effective pathway to the mysterious realms beyond literal conscious thought.”

Lewis was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1941. He received his master of fine arts in painting from the State University College, New Paltz, New York in 1975, and a master’s degree in painting from Michigan State University in 1964. He came to UMaine in 1966. In addition to teaching painting and drawing for the past 50 years, he has served as chairperson of the Department of Art and as acting associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Lewis has had gallery representation in Portland, Maine; New York City; Boston; and Baltimore. Twenty-seven of his paintings, drawings and prints are included in the collection of Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum. His work also is in the collections of the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria; Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine; Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine; and the University of Maine Museum of Art in Bangor. In addition, his paintings have been acquired for numerous corporate and private collections.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Lord Hall Gallery is open from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday and is wheelchair accessible.