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The Art of Jim Lewis
Issue: 2020/05 - May
In the folk art world, Kentucky is the home of the world’s most renowned folk woodcarvers, Minnie Adkins, Lonnie and Twyla Money, Harry Jennings, the Skaggs family, and others.
Jim Lewis also belongs to this stellar group. Jim was born and raised in Kentucky and continues to call the Bluegrass State home.
Jim’s world was pretty conventional…he married, had a couple of children, and worked hard in the labor field, operating big machinery.
At the age of 42, he was laid off from his job. A hard worker, Jim didn’t let that get him down. He had piddled with woodcarving as a hobby for many years, and now, it was time to make this his new career.
Deeply Inspired by the best, Minnie and Garland Adkins, he used their success to spur him forward, and later, when he was called back to his job, he did not return. Carving had become his new source of living, literally and figuratively.
Jim creates canes and sculptured pieces, using mostly, as his preferred woods, basswood and poplar. Depending on the piece, he may start by making the initial pattern using the bandsaw, but after shaping the piece, he then finishes by carving with his hand knife.
Over the years, he has made many varied pieces, but his subjects generally consist of animals, people, or a religious theme. The gallery favorite, hands down, combines all three of these themes – his hand-carved “Jonah and the Whale.” The gallery also has a nice variety of his work – angels, farm animals, watermelons, and his whimsical “Duck n’ Boots.”
As we want to share Jim’s work with you, please visit the gallery or the website. As an added treat, you will also find works by the other above mentioned Kentucky woodcarvers.
Around Back at Rocky’s Place is located at 3631 Highway 53 East in Dawsonville, Georgia. Visit them at aroundbackatrockysplace.com, call (706) 265-6030 or email [email protected]. Follow them on Google, Facebook, and Instagram.
