James Ritchie Lewis was a celebrated artist and educator living in Stockton, CA. Mr. Lewis held a BA from the College of the Pacific, and an MA from Stanford University. While Jim exhibited nationally and internationally, he was well known locally as a Professor teaching lettering and art history at San Joaquin Delta College for 25 years. Jim’s work and mentorship have impacted thousands of lives, including several prominent artists he trained and inspired such as Phawnda Moore and Everett Wilson.
Jim’s work is full of history, satire, humor, literature, travelogue and life, which can be explored and experienced for hours. His lush marriage of letterform and drawing includes intricate details and bold geometry, as well as new alphabets, words and meanings.
His feature exhibition – Always Write – Jim Lewis Retrospective – premiered to open the 2013-14 Season and included 46 signature works from 1959 to 2013. His mastery was represented in the intimacy of pen, ink and graphite, in addition to the bold impact of large scrolls, painting and sculpture.
We will miss Jim, and our thoughts are with the Lewis family.