Sonia Lewis

I am a self-taught, passionate artist constantly inspired by nature and aged objects touched by the hands of time. I have always been fascinated by the underpainting and glazing techniques used by the Flemish Masters, such as Vermeer and Jan Van Eyck, to produce vibrant colors and reflections of light.

To quench my desire to further understand these techniques—perfected by the Old Dutch Masters—I researched modern-day masters who studied and used these methods. My research led me to France, where I enrolled in an intense course in Brittany.

Upon returning home to Jamaica, I began incorporating these techniques into my own artistic style, blending them with the vibrant colors of this sun-kissed island. One of my first paintings, ‘Grandma's Clay Vase,’ was inspired by the wonderful childhood memories of spending summer holidays with my family at my grandparents' Great House in Mandeville. The open fields and hills were our playground, where my siblings, cousins, and I would climb over old stone walls, explore weathered buildings, and search for treasures. Rain or shine, our daily adventures were never interrupted, and our imaginations ran wild with the stories we told and lived. I cherish those days.

In many of my works, I use obj...