Edward Lewis
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Statement 2009
First thing, most days, a session or two of sketchy drawings in the small pad I carry while I’m out jogging, reminds me what is most important, the starting all over again each morning.
A succession of extraneous activities might follow (cleaning, gardening or shopping) which will build up to, by boredom or urgency, and may even somehow ‘inform’ what I will be doing later with a paint brush. I often like to work in the quiet of the night, at home or in the studio, or plein air on a fine day.
I alternate between painting abstract and figurative; each aids or relieves the other.
Abstract painting for me, now, is about process rather than design: ‘virtual reality, I’ll call it’. How I start a painting is key to what happens, and then who I am, how I’m feeling and what day it is etc. : temperament. The subjects which I like to draw, using black chalk or pencil, are all around; but to give them fresh life in oil paint is no easy matter just yet.
I am largely self-taught, self-directed; I benefitted from one year post-university at the Slade, in 1960, and have attended one or two short painting courses since. I have had one solo exhibition, which I called ‘art-biographical’, in 2006 of drawings and paintings spanning 50 years.
Edward Lewis 2009
Edward Lewis (28/10/36 – 10/05/2018) : his final days
Edward Lewis died at 3:15am on Thursday the 10th of May 2018 at his home in Bath. He had had been diagnosed with prostate cancer 3 years and 8 months prior to his death. Metastases had spread to his bones. Despite the disease, and nephrostomy bags due to blocked kidneys, he continued to live a remarkably full and energetic life. On Wednesday 02 May he was cycling to Waitrose for his “free” (if you spend £5) coffee and to sketch the other patrons, and that night stood painting in his garage for 5 hours until three in the morning. His legs gave way on Thursday 03 May and he was helped back into his home by his neighbour Steve. Nurses saw him that day and the next and a Zimmer frame was delivered; he began to sleep downstairs on the sofa bed as he could not safely climb the stairs.
Ed asleep on Tuesday 08 May
The district nurses contacted me, his son Tom, worried that he would be on his own over the weekend. I arrived Saturday morning to find him sitting on the end of his bed, somewhat confused but coherent. We spent the day practicing his Zimmer walking (he was tending to bear left, and to forget quite where he was meant to be going), but most of the time he slept. At tea time Peter called round to deliver the news that Ed had been elected to the Bath Society of Artists, something he had wanted for a number of years. We watched the football together. On the Sunday Ed was weaker but was still able to get to the big table using the frame, to sit in the big chair, listen to music, eat a little, and sleep a lot. Again we watched the football.
That night was the only time Ed was in pain until his final hours, and took 3 doses of the liquid morphine that had been prescribed but not really needed until then. I called the district nurses early on the Monday morning and Donna took charge, keeping Ed in bed, getting an inflatable mattress under him, sorting what pills he needed to take.
Ed had many visitors over the next couple of days, and was in the habit of holding people’s hands so tightly they had to work quite hard to extricate themselves. He was delighted by the visits, and by the many times the nurses came in for this or that difficulty. He did not get up again, and by Tuesday was not taking food or water, and his speech had become limited to single words. By Wednesday he communicated by raising and lowering a single eyebrow and continued to do so until he fell asleep late that night. I got a raised eyebrow for the news that Swansea were relegated from the Premier league, and for the idea that his upcoming exhibition should show his abstract work, and for saying how thrilled I was we could still communicate when I thought it had slipped away. He woke at 2am with rapid, laboured breathing but in the final half an hour he was calm and peaceful.
 Ed’s hand, Wednesday morning |
 Grandpa and Oskar |
Edward Lewis (28/10/36 – 10/05/2018) : some of his favourite charities
- Alzheimers Society
- Amnesty International
- Art Fund
- Avon Wildlife Trust
- Bhopal Medical Appeal
- British Red Cross
- Campaign to Protect Rural England
- Children’s Society
- Age UK
- Friends of the Earth
- Free Tibet Campaign
- Greenpeace
- Joe Homan Trust
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- MSF
- Medical Aid for Palestinians
- Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
- NSPCC
- Oxfam
- Practical Action
- Refugee Council
- RSPB
- RSPCA
- Shelter
- The Brandon Trust
- The Salvation Army
- WaterAid
- WWF
- Refugee Council
- RSPB
- Shelter
- Brandon Trust
- Womankind Worldwide
- World Society for the Protection of Animals
Edward Lewis : brief biography written for Modern British Figurative Art, Katharine House Gallery, Marlborough 2008
Born in Wales, Lewis studied at Cambridge in the late 1950s following a period of National Service. After the death of his father in 1959 he was encouraged by a maternal relative, Myfanwy Piper, to purse his preferred option of art. He entered the Slade School of Fine Art in 1960 through the intervention of Myfanwy’s husband John Piper who showed Lewis’s promising work to the Slade’s principal, William Coldstream. Encouraged by fellow Welshman Ceri Richards, Lewis evolved a ‘kitchen sink’ feel for the simple poetry of humble surroundings. In the late 1960s Lewis left London for his native Wales, teacher training and the security of a teaching job in the Rhondda. A rustic naturalism and gentle expressionism entered his work in response to the new environment. On retirement in 1996 Lewis moved to Bath where he has continued to work and exhibit in mixed shows. In 2006 a retrospective exhibition was held at the Widcombe Studios Gallery, Bath.
Tom,
We will miss Ed very much. A true character. This a wonderful tribute that you have prepared and will be retained and treasured.
Love
Alan & Liz
Thanks Tom for the final chapter in Ed’s story. He was always very warm, and welcoming when I visited Wales or his home in Bath, and I’ll miss him
A great privilege to have known Ed, albeit for such a short time, counted him as a friend, and shared good times in France. Erudite, funny, good company, he made lovely work and the world is a lesser place without him.
Dear Tom. I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ed. We were fellow artists at Widcombe Studios and years later Ed impressed me by driving all the way over to stay in Gloucestershire so that he could attend one of my art courses.My biggest regret is that on hearing that he was so ill I had planned to pay him a visit but unfortunately I was just too late! He will be hugely missed by me and I will remember him for his humour, stories and wonderfully expressive drawing and painting.
Love
Fiona
Dear Tom, How wonderful to have this website as a tribute to Ed. We have been friends for 28 years, since our times in Qatar and all I can remember were the fun and laughs we had. I delighted in Ed’s unusual and colourful personality and loved him as a friend.I used to visit him on the way home after the Sidmouth Folk festival every summer but wasn’t able to for the last two years. He will be sadly missed, but I know he’s safe and sound where he is. Lynda Jakiro
We think of Ed regularly as we have three of his paintings in our sitting room .
Dear Ed, ,so glad that he manage to soldier on for such a long time before his last few days.
I met him a number of times at Allt Fadog ,you too Tom, also with my son Matthew who welcomed meeting a fellow smoker!!
He has managed to die with his usual style & he will be much missed particularly by the art community in Bath & of course his family & other friends.
Many happy memories. Ping pong with David & Clarissa.
I was a life model at Bath Artists for a number of years and, according to Edward, his favourite! I looked forward to seeing him, chatting and listening to his stories and a hug and hand hold. A truly amazing character, full of life and determined to live it to the full despite his recent health problems. We spoke often about my Father and his similar journey. I admired his zest for life and fortitude greatly and will miss him. Thank you for describing his last days, a character to the end.
Ed was a tremendous character – not too surprising I suppose for a man who shared his actual birth date with John Cleese and his birthday with that great Welshman Dylan Thomas. Lots of memories of his zest for life – including the time, almost 2 years ago, when he asked me to take a photo of his face after he’d had a 4 hour “op” to remove a growth from this right cheek. He wanted the photo to show to the Dr…. but I had to wait until he’d got the correct hat to wear. He didn’t want to be pictured in the “wrong hat”!
Tom, What a lovely tribute to Edward. Yes, his zest for life was there right to the end. I was one of those visitors in the last days whose hand he firmly grasped. I shall continue to remember him with fondness for the colour and enthusiasm he brought to everything he did. I shall cherish memories such as waiting at a bus stop, and invitably getting out our sketch books. Or the offerings of apples or plums from his allotment, left on my doorstep or by my studio door. I keep, on display, and love, a reproduction of a painting he did in his 20s of Tobias and the Angel. Blessings on his next journey.
Tom
So sad to hear the news of Ed’s passing–the oldest of the 13 cousins. As many have said, he was a true character with a fantastic sense of humour. I will always remember his wicked chuckle! We shall miss him.
Dick and I would wish to attend Ed’s funeral on June 6th
Dear Tom
Saddened to hear of Ed’s death. It brought back lots of memories of Jenny’s untimely death in 2003 when she was on the staff of King Edward’s Pre-Prep. I will never forget the day Ed stood in the school car park looking so lost and forlorn and told me of Jenny;s death. We cried and hugged. I still miss her greatly and she is always in my thoughts.
You have lost a truly remarkable father and I wish I had spent more time getting to know the artist, husband, father and grandfather. Thinking of you all.
I first met Edward as a fellow artist at Widcombe studios. He was an amazing man, always full of fascinating stories and a wicked sense of humour. I shall miss that glint in his eye and his grubby fingers ingrained with pencil or paint. Suffer no more. A life to truly celebrate.
Dear Tom. Thank you so much for this and for having us there helping you say farewell to Edward. So hard for you. And yet we know he deeply treasured the time you became his bridge to the world and the life he faced till the last with typical fortitude, passion and curiosity. A warm hug and we shall see you in July.
David and I have such happy memories of Ed and Jenny during our time together in Qatar in the 1980s and ‘90s. Ed made every desert expedition that he led fun and exciting and he took a keen interest in the country, its wildlife and above all its people. We had so many laughs together. Jenny was a superb cook and hostess and the two of them made every hospitable invitation to their home something to look forward to. After they left we paid annual visits to their beautiful home in Bath and the last time we met was when Ed came out to Qatar for one last time and stayed with us, he hadn’t changed one bit and was just as much fun as ever with his unusual view on life and his thought-provoking comments. Thank you Tom for setting up this site and giving all his friends the chance to pay tribute to him. Ed will always live in our memories as a truly unique and gifted human being.
I met Edward when I had a studio close to him Whilst building our new home we lived in a mobile home Edward came to supper with other friends of ours he was the star of the evening I never worked out if there were more holes than wool in his colourful scarf Thank you for the beautiful memories My husband Chris and I are so saddened to hear of Edwards death Regards to the family Val Hepplewhite