After graduating from the Whanganui School of Glass in 2012, Lewis had the opportunity to gain professional experience working with several established glass artists in New Zealand. In 2015, he relocated to Adelaide, Australia to undergo the two-year Associate Training Program at JamFactory.
Lewis’ work has been recognised for its innovation and originality and has been selected as finalists in both the 2016 and 2018 FUSE Glass Prize for Australian and New Zealand glass, and Young Glass 2017 in Ebeltoft, Denmark. In 2012, he received the Ann Robinson Glass Award.
As an artist, Lewis’ focus has been the vessel. Lewis aims to create aesthetically driven works that pay respects to the tradition and craftsmanship of the material. Form and proportion are essential elements in this work; each surface is a canvas in which to carry a pattern or texture. When creating texture, Lewis employs multiple coldworking techniques to remove areas of glass. This process allows him to create an illusion of depth in his work.
“Even though the coldworking process is long and laborious, it is extremely rewarding to see the designs I have sketched on paper slowly come to life and take on a three-dimensional form. It is essential that any line I create does not interfere with the form but accentuates it”