Clayton Scott Lewis (March 15, 1915 – September 15, 1995) was an American artist known primarily for his work as an envelope artist and jewelry designer.
Life and careeredit
Clayton Lewis began his professional life as a furniture designer in the late 1940s with his firm, Claywood Designs, which led to coverage in magazines such as Progressive Architecture and Interiors. After a rare bone disease put him in the hospital, and with a young family to support, in 1950, he was hired as general manager of the Herman Miller Furniture Company’s Venice, California office. There he helped implement designs by Charles Eames, Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and George Nelson.
After a tenure at Herman Miller, he left his position and moved his family to Northern California, in 1953, to open up his own art studio. Following various shows and the subsequent breakup of his marriage in 1962, he moved first to Nevada City in 1963, and then to the Point Reyes Peninsula in 1964, where he designed a large collection of sculpture jewelry while working with Judy Perlman. After they disbanded their partnership of Perlman-Lewis in 1973, he continued working on his own as a sculptor, painter, and water colorist.
Between 1980 and 1985, he produced over 1000 pieces of mail art, mostly sent to his mother in the final years of her life. The envelopes have been shown in one-man and group shows in San Francisco, Pasadena, and Paris, among other locations.
For the last 31 years of his life he lived in a group of Coast Miwok Indian cottages at Lairds Landing, on Tomales Bay, fifty miles north of San Francisco. There he built a spacious sculpting and painting studio with a substantial foundry to work in. In order to help sustain himself, he worked as a carpenter, fisherman, and boat builder, as well as an artist.
Clayton Lewis was married to Virginia Harding Lewis from 1942-1962. They had four children, including the composer, Peter Scott Lewis.
Referencesedit
The Envelope Art & Ardor of Clayton Lewis, Alyson Kuhn, Felt & Wire, May 3, 2010
Lairds' Bohemian Decades, Jacoba Charles, Point Reyes Light, August 8, 2008
Museum Gives Hippie Stuff The Acid Test, Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, Published: December 16, 1999
Saving Clayton’s Place, Dan Fost, Marin Independent Journal (Feature Story), December 10, 1995
Artist & Fisherman Clayton Lewis Dies, David Rolland, Point Reyes Light, September, 1995
Un Americain a Paris: Clayton Lewis, rue Guenegaud, Catherine David, Le Nouvel Observatuer, December 26, 1985
Les Envelopes De Clayton Lewis, Catherine David, Le Nouvel Observateur, Paris, France, June 29, 1984
The World of Clayton Lewis, J.S. Holliday, Magazine of the California Historical Society, San Francisco, CA (Feature Story), Fall, 1983
External linksedit
Official Web Site
Explore Modern Art | Our Collection | Clayton Lewis | Bed
March 17, 2024
clayton, lewis, footballer, footballer, major, contributor, this, article, appears, have, close, connection, with, subject, require, cleanup, comply, with, wikipedia, content, policies, particularly, neutral, point, view, please, discuss, further, talk, page, . For the footballer see Clayton Lewis footballer A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia s content policies particularly neutral point of view Please discuss further on the talk page November 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Clayton Scott Lewis March 15 1915 September 15 1995 was an American artist known primarily for his work as an envelope artist and jewelry designer Life and career editClayton Lewis began his professional life as a furniture designer in the late 1940s with his firm Claywood Designs which led to coverage in magazines such as Progressive Architecture and Interiors After a rare bone disease put him in the hospital and with a young family to support in 1950 he was hired as general manager of the Herman Miller Furniture Company s Venice California office There he helped implement designs by Charles Eames Ray Eames Isamu Noguchi and George Nelson After a tenure at Herman Miller he left his position and moved his family to Northern California in 1953 to open up his own art studio Following various shows and the subsequent breakup of his marriage in 1962 he moved first to Nevada City in 1963 and then to the Point Reyes Peninsula in 1964 where he designed a large collection of sculpture jewelry while working with Judy Perlman After they disbanded their partnership of Perlman Lewis in 1973 he continued working on his own as a sculptor painter and water colorist Between 1980 and 1985 he produced over 1000 pieces of mail art mostly sent to his mother in the final years of her life The envelopes have been shown in one man and group shows in San Francisco Pasadena and Paris among other locations His work can be found in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Metropolitan Museum New York Los Angeles County Museum of Art California Historical Society San Francisco Musee de La Poste Paris France among others For the last 31 years of his life he lived in a group of Coast Miwok Indian cottages at Lairds Landing on Tomales Bay fifty miles north of San Francisco There he built a spacious sculpting and painting studio with a substantial foundry to work in In order to help sustain himself he worked as a carpenter fisherman and boat builder as well as an artist Clayton Lewis was born in Snoqualmie Washington and died at his home at Laird s Landing Point Reyes National Seashore California He was raised in Snoqualmie before moving to Seattle in 1936 to study at the Cornish School for the Arts later Cornish College of the Arts Between 1937 and 1940 he lived in San Francisco where he studied at the California School of Fine Arts later the San Francisco Art Institute Clayton Lewis was married to Virginia Harding Lewis from 1942 1962 They had four children including the composer Peter Scott Lewis References editThe Envelope Art amp Ardor of Clayton Lewis Alyson Kuhn Felt amp Wire May 3 2010 Lairds Bohemian Decades Jacoba Charles Point Reyes Light August 8 2008 Museum Gives Hippie Stuff The Acid Test Patricia Leigh Brown New York Times Published December 16 1999 Saving Clayton s Place Dan Fost Marin Independent Journal Feature Story December 10 1995 Artist amp Fisherman Clayton Lewis Dies David Rolland Point Reyes Light September 1995 Un Americain a Paris Clayton Lewis rue Guenegaud Catherine David Le Nouvel Observatuer December 26 1985 Les Envelopes De Clayton Lewis Catherine David Le Nouvel Observateur Paris France June 29 1984 The World of Clayton Lewis J S Holliday Magazine of the California Historical Society San Francisco CA Feature Story Fall 1983External links editOfficial Web Site Explore Modern Art Our Collection Clayton Lewis Bed Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Clayton Lewis amp oldid 1087821313, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
