COVER by Charles Lewis
Yellow Monkeys #2 (oil on canvas). Charles Lewis is sometimes associated with the hip underground art movement called Pop Surrealism, known for its strange humor and imaginary or juxtaposed objects. His latest series, the Toy Portraits, uses a formal still life style to depict antique toys and folk art objects from his travels set against the quirkiness of his surrealist leanings. Yellow Monkeys #2 features an old pair of carved wooden monkeys he rescued one day from the chaos of a market in Kathmandu. Monkeys are an ancient motif in Nepalese folk art. It’s hard, however, to find the truly old ones, especially in the original matched pairs because they are easily damaged and separated. “These yellow monkeys have real charm, with their gentle, enigmatic, yet curious and questioning smiles,” Lewis says. Charles Lewis’s art is available at the Mendocino Art Center and can be seen at www.charleslewisart.com.
