OXFORD - The Oxford Historical Society will host a show of the watercolors and drawings of H. Reinhardt Lewis from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 19 and from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead Museum, 60 Towner Lane.
The event is co-sponsored by Lewis’ daughter and son-in-law, Bob and Peggy Hilton.
Admission is free and refreshments will be served.
Entitled “H. Reinhardt Lewis: An Exhibition of Art from Oxford’s Petticoat Farm,” the works showcased here were largely painted or drawn during the 1930’s when Lewis moved his family to the 18th Century farmhouse by that name, hoping to fulfill his lifelong dream of being an independent, self-supporting artist.
While living in Oxford with his wife, Ella, and young son, William, he drew and painted the Depression era landscape of the dairy and chicken farms that made up this small New England town and the surrounding area of that time. Given the economy, there was no market for his work, and he was forced to move on to employment elsewhere.
His legacy to the 21st Century is the collection of watercolors and drawings shared by Mr. and Mrs. Hilton that uniquely depict Oxford and its environs during the 1930s.
In addition, they have added a group of Christmas cards that Lewis drew to send to friends and family, one oil painting and a small trunk he decorated for his grandson.
Lewis was born in Somerville, N.J. in 1904 and attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Grand Central School of Art in New York City.
After leaving Oxford, he returned to commercial design and illustration, moving first to Wilton and then to nearby West Redding.
The family stayed there from 1940-80. During World War II, Lewis was a draftsman for Vought Sikorsky Aircraft Co. in Stratford.
After the war, he worked for many years as a package designer for Robert G. Neubauer Design, creating container illustrations for such well-known products as A & P brands, Scripto pencils, Prestone Anti-Freeze and Underwood Foods. The Lewises retired to Old Saybrook.
Among the art will be pencil drawings including Farmhouse Study; Farm Landscape; Barry Farm,
Oxford; Long Ridge Library Print; Umpawaug Hill, print of the Lewis home in West Redding; several drawings of Petticoat Farm, and another Oxford farm.
Watercolors will include: Sharon Church; Curve in the Road; Abandoned House; several Farmhouse Studies; Schoolhouse; Petticoat Farm 1936; Haystacks; Village Scene; The Red Barns; and A Red Connecticut Farmhouse.
This is a press release from the historical society.
No comments:
Post a Comment