Meet Lacey Lewis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lacey Lewis.

Lacey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
At 16, I was a teenage mother living in my own apartment. It was my Jr year of high school, I was on the honor roll, and I had both a developing talent in art and a growing distrust for authority. I knew I wanted to do something with my talents and that I wanted to be my own boss.

My passion in art has always been around the realistic representation of people, both through portraiture and figurative works. This has lead to me being sought after both for commissions and by those who want to learn realistic drawing and painting themselves. Having taught myself, I learned to analyze the why and how of what I do, which facilitates teaching that skill to others and has made me an authority in my niche.

My business grew organically over time as I slowly developed my own methods of teaching and curricula for various classes, culminating with my own studio where I create work and host live and virtual classes.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest obstacle for me was that I couldn’t prioritize my own education in the same way most 20-somethings can because the needs of my son had to come before everything else. This meant I couldn’t pack up and move to Florence for a couple of years, and painting time was mostly limited to evenings after bedtime. I always felt like I was “behind” others in my field who were able to attend art schools and ateliers and spend numerous hours a day on their work.

I found though that it doesn’t matter who is ahead or behind, what matters is that you keep working and pushing yourself to do better. My lack of a Bachelor’s degree is also a gift; it means that through developing my own education, I am uniquely suited to help others on their own artistic journey, and without a pile of student debt, I have had the freedom to pave my own way financially.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Art School of the Rest of Us!

Classes in realistic drawing and painting for older teens and adults. Offerings include beginner oil painting and drawing courses, portrait and figure classes, life drawing sessions, private lessons, and an online mentoring program called the Realist Art Club.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter if my work is better or worse than anyone else’s: What really matters is that I have taken the time to really see. If I spend time drawing someone I love, the resultant drawing is not nearly as significant as the fact that I have looked over every detail of their face, noticed the way their eyelid curves near the tear duct, or the way the skin curves under their bottom lip. This is what I try to convey to my students: The most important thing is to observe this incredible world that’s right in front of you!

Contact Info:

• Email: lacey@lacey-Lewis.com
• Website: lacey-lewis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceylewisart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolofRealistArt/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LewisFineArt
• Other: https://schoolofrealistart.com/

Image Credits
Both photos by Jason Dailey https://www.daileyimages.com/