Lewis Johnston
Artist’s Biography
Lewis Johnston is a Welsh artist, who is known for creating architectural art works in the forms of abstract and impressionism. Primarily using paint, graphite pencil and ink as his preferred mediums. He has covered various famous cities and landscapes. Known for his individual art style, by incorporating the fragmented abstract world, with the technical detailed elements of realism and marrying the two together, to create a bold, free flowing scene.
Lewis started his career as an artist in 2020, with his first piece titled NYC Skyline (2020). Where he spent five and a half months creating a detailed graphite pencil drawing of the famous NYC skyline. In September of that year, his second piece entitled Eiffel Tower (2020) was created. A bold yet simple acrylic painting on canvas. His third piece of work entitled Brooklyn Bridge (2021) and his second artwork Eiffel Tower (2020), were created with the intention of developing his line work and form. These together with his first art piece NYC Skyline (2020), saw him create his particular art style, from his love of architecture and art.
Lewis always had an interest in architecture and art. He started drawing buildings and boats from the age of 3 years old. This need to draw stayed with him throughout his infants and junior school days. At high school it really started to develop, and he particularly enjoyed working with graphite pencils and soft pastels. His artwork was exhibited at Theatre Clwyd Art Gallery in Mold, Flintshire, North Wales in 2014. Between 2014 - 2016, he studied A Level graphic art and product design at Mold Alun sixth form. Whilst there, he gained knowledge and had experience of producing digital art.
In 2021, Lewis produced his first art series titled “Architecture in Ink”. This comprised of 10 pieces of abstract architectural collages, in ink pen and gel pen mediums. These art works were gradually completed over a five-month period.
In 2022, Lewis started working on series of large format oil paintings of internationally recognized skylines in the styles of abstract and impressionism. With the intent to showcase his artwork in a number of galleries after the completion of a number of works. As an addition to the oil paintings, Lewis completed a series of 10 linocut blocks artworks of which were completed between February and December of that year. A ‘master print’ was chosen, digitized and used to offer a collection of open edition prints.
At the start of the year in 2023, the first collection of soft pastel art works had been started in early January, featuring countryside landscapes such as forests and views of valleys drawn in an subtract impressionist style. A limited colour pallet was chosen, along with strong vivid colours to connect the lush lifeful feel of the environment into an expressive artwork format that was chosen. In February of 2023 a Lewis started offering art inspired fashion as an extension of his art with the aim of offering his art and inspired textural patterns to be purchased as various forms of clothing. This was centered around the idea of applying textured art inspired from nature, such as landscapes, flowers and waterfalls that would create an eye-catching and vivid clothing style.
Lewis hopes that through his style of art, he can successfully merge the stunning and complex world of architecture, together with the beauty and vibrant colours of the art world.
Introduction video for YouTube and social media (Script)
Lewis Johnston – Introduction
Hello, my name is Lewis Johnston and I’m a Welsh artist from North Wales in the United Kingdom.
This is my first official YouTube video, which is the perfect opportunity for me to introduce myself as an artist and to talk about my art.
I work primarily as an architectural artist, in the forms of abstract and impressionism. With interest in creating skylines and collages of buildings. So far, I have covered cities such as London, New York, Paris and Liverpool city in northern England. Using graphite pencil, acrylic paint as my mediums but plan to work primarily in oil painting in the near future.
My artistic expression is a fragmented style, including architectural, urban, bold, intense, expressive, monochromatic, structural, grand and detailed, yet abstract.
My goal as an artist is to bring together the real life detailed world, (Impressionist), with the creative imaginary element of abstraction. To bring out the spirit, character and feel of the scene expressed in the form of abstraction and to merge it with detail from real life. In essence, to see the result of my creativity merged with the real world.
At the age of 22 I started my career as an artist in 2020. Up until then, I played in various bands. My genre being metal, rock and alternative. With hindsight, I should have started my art career sooner. Sometimes, you have to go down various paths before you find the right one.
I have always been a creative individual with an interest in creating art. My dyslexia helps with this, as our brains view the world differently. This has furthered my creative abilities by enhancing my imagination. As young as 3 years old, I was drawing architectural work such as buildings and ships. Having started so early, by the time I was in high school, I always found myself and been told by my teachers, that I was the head of the class and year for art. Notably, from a very detailed pastel drawing of a lion I did in my 11th year of high school in 2014, which was put on display at a local gallery and my early experimenting with 3d projection techniques to creative 3d art work.
Both my creative and technical abilities were further recognised when I attended the Mold Alun six form between the academic years of 2014 and 2016. Where I was told, that I had the best 3d design and modelling abilities in the class, for my A-Level design and technology course. I was also informed about my high quality of work in my A-Level graphic art course.
The one thing that is good about my dyslexia, is that it enables me to delve deeper into my imagination, for my inspiration.
I hope I have given some interesting information regarding my work and what motivates me to create my art pieces. If you like my work, links are available to view more of my artwork in the description below.
I wish you all the best and thank you for watching.
Songwriter's Biography
Lewis Johnston is a Welsh artist and songwriter from the United Kingdom. With a focus on writing and producing classical and metal music. Despite not formally learning music or even having a single music lesson, being self-taught, Lewis’ song writing has transformed from simple piano pieces to rock band arrangements, all the way up to multiple symphonic works. In 2022, he started his long anticipated solo career, after working with a series of bands as a musician/song writer between 2012 to early 2020.