Bio

Originally from Wisconsin, John Oliver Lewis currently lives and works in San Diego, CA.  He earned a BFA from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Department of Art and Design, and an MFA from the University of North Texas, School of Visual Arts. 

Lewis’ work was selected for inclusion in the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's exhibition Here Not There: San Diego Art Now and the exhibition Uberyummy at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art at Cal State San Bernardino. Lewis’ sculptures, drawings and installations have also been exhibited nationally at venues such as the American Museum of Ceramic Art, as well as the Amarillo Museum of Art.  His ceramic sculpture is featured in Fresh Paint Magazine, Create Magazine, and 500 Ceramic Sculptures by Lark Books.

Artist Statement

Informed by a history immersed in skateboard culture as well as the diverse landscapes of Southern California that now surround me, my work is centered on themes of whimsy, playfulness, and materiality.

Building upon my academic background in wood-fired ceramics, curiosity has grown and the work has expanded to include the influence of abstract painting movements, Thrasher Magazine, skateboard graphics, and both contemporary and historic landscape painting.