Rickey Lewis Explores Solitude and Social Truths in Painting

Artist Rickey Lewis presents a portfolio of paintings that examine societal truths, human conditions, and personal solitude. His work includes narrative canvases and impasto abstracts, addressing themes such as femininity, identity, systemic violence, and the legacy of slavery. Notable works include "Alluragothcha," which explores the feminine as an anchoring force; "Tessera," portraying identity as a sacred mosaic centered on a woman in hijab; "New Dawn Today," responding to media omission of women of color; "Red Black N Blu," examining the Black mother archetype's anguish from systemic violence; and "Cargo," which uses a grid of black lines to represent enslaved people who fueled agricultural revolution and global infrastructure. Lewis also creates impasto abstracts like "Power Struggle" and "The Company We Keep," as well as early works such as "yes, I am alone" and "Waiting for Snow." His creative ecosystem extends to political cartoons, a meta-fiction novel, and a video piece juxtaposing a teenager and a police officer in a vegetable garden. Lewis describes his practice as born of introspection and solitude, translating observation into paintings, panels, and prose.