Brandon V. Lewis
Uninterrupted Black"First Saturdays" Opening Reception - 2 May 5-8 PM
April 7 – May 23, 2026
Pull Quote
While studying folk artists such as Clementine Hunter, Jacob Lawrence and Bill Hemmerling, Lewis began to realize that he had in fact been telling the stories of his grandparents and great grandparents with a paintbrush.
Biography
B R A N D O N V . L E W I S
b.1986 - Baton Rouge, Louisiana ::: lives & works - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
@_blewis
Brandon V. Lewis is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana–based visual artist whose work dwells at the intersection of memory, faith, family, and the lived experiences of Black life in the American South. Working primarily in acrylic and layered mixed media, Lewis creates figurative compositions that pulse with color, rhythm, and emotional depth, echoing the cultural and spiritual traditions that shape his world.
His paintings are both intimate and expansive, rooted in personal narrative yet resonant with collective memory. Drawing inspiration from Southern culture, gospel music, ancestral traditions, and the quiet poetry of everyday life, Lewis transforms familiar moments into sacred visual testimonies. Each work becomes an offering, honoring the resilience, beauty, and enduring spirit found within Black communities.
Lewis approaches his practice as an act of remembrance and reverence. Through gesture, texture, and layered materials, he constructs visual spaces where past and present meet, where joy and sorrow coexist, and where the ordinary is elevated to the divine. His work invites viewers not only to see, but to feel, to recall, and to recognize themselves within the stories being told.
In doing so, Brandon V. Lewis continues a tradition of artists who bear witness to their communities, creating work that affirms identity, preserves legacy, and celebrates the sacredness woven into everyday life.
Artist Statement
My work is rooted in memory, shaped by faith, and carried through the stories of the people and places that raised me. I paint from a deeply personal space, but I understand that what is personal is often communal. The faces, gestures, and scenes that appear in my work are reflections of family, neighbors, church members, and ancestors whose presence continues to guide me.
Growing up in the South, I learned early that life moves in rhythm. There is music in the way we speak, in the way we gather, in the way we celebrate and mourn. That rhythm finds its way into my work through color, repetition, and movement. I am drawn to moments that might seem ordinary at first glance, but hold a deeper spiritual weight. A Sunday morning, a quiet conversation, a gathering of loved ones. These are the spaces where the sacred reveals itself.
My use of acrylic and mixed media, including paper and fabric, allows me to build layers in the same way memory is formed. Nothing exists in isolation. Every surface carries something beneath it, just as every story is shaped by what came before. The materials become a language of their own, speaking to history, texture, and the act of piecing together identity over time.
I often title my work using familiar sayings from my community. These phrases carry humor, wisdom, correction, and care. They are a form of cultural memory, passed down through generations, grounding the work in a voice that feels lived and true.
Ultimately, my practice is about honoring. Honoring where I come from, honoring the people who shaped me, and honoring the sacredness found in everyday Black life. I want my work to feel like a gathering, a place where viewers can see themselves, feel something deeply, and be reminded that their stories matter.
CV
EDUCATION
2009 Univerisity of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
Bachelor of Liberal Arts: History – Art History Concentration
2019 Baton Rouge Community College (Continuing Education Courses) Utilized for understanding quantitative data
and disaggregating data for educational and business strategic planning
PRESENTATIONS
2019 Southern African American Artist Forum- Panelist
Forget Me Not- Alzheimer’s Awareness- Panelist
2018 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Visual Arts Summit – Finding your voice with a brush
2017 City of Baker School System Fine Arts Professional Development- Primary Sources and Social media.
New Hope Baptist Church Arts in Ministry – Finding your gift/purpose.
EXHIBITIONS
2019 Mid-City White Light Night featured artist
2018 Mid-City Hot Art Cool Nightd featured artist
2016 Lamps To My Feet: A celebration of the African American Expereince.
Lake Charles Black Heritage Gallery. Lake Charles, LA
2010 I dream in color: A Creative disposition. Beuregard Art Gallery. Baton Rouge, LA.
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Ralph and Susan Brennan
Ruby Bridges
Beth Rudin DeWoody
Fidelity Investments Corporate Collection
Keith Fox & Tom Keyes
Patti LaBelle
