From the Artist
Art for me is an instrument of communication—with myself and with others. It forces me to continually examine my own thoughts and actions, as well as those of others. The experiences in life can be viewed in a flexible and inclusive manner without limitations. Art is not some theory that you learn but a way of life that you choose to develop. Once nurtured it thrives on your memory bank and your need to reach out and seek to understand the tangible and the intangible. Thus, for me, art and life are inseparable.
—From Brandywine Workshop and Archives records
Cleo, by Samella S. Lewis, is a portrait painting art historical reference produced in 1996. Lewis employs a symmetrically composed frontal view of a young girl holding a flower to present portraiture as an icon; Her face framed by a large cross. Lewis is a pioneer in African American art history research and publication. She has influenced several generations of artists as a creator, curator, collector, and art historian.
—Adapted from "Fresh, Human and Personal: Signature of Brandywine Workshop," Three Decades of American Printmaking: The Brandywine Workshop Collection (Manchester, VT: Hudson Hills Press, 2004)
