Thoughts|comments from friends, history of tribute and memorial art

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Denice Lewis' paintings are kick ass. There is life in them. Often with abstract expressionist art there is an "unresolved" quality to the work--a lot of 'Look at my talent--I'll show you my skill'. Ms Lewis shows you what she KNOWS. Rather than feeling that she has lead us to a place of her design, we feel that her life experience has pulled from her a secret that she now feels compelled to share with us. Each painting seems to complete an idea or emotion. While certainly impressive, the work is--more importantly--satisfying. She makes paint seem to move, usually in our direction. Her "hard work" never shows--only her pleasure at discovering a new thing, which, at once, becomes ours. Sometimes, she makes you feel sort of like you're seeing color for the first time. You feel like your eyes have opened a little wider--as if, instead of a canvass, she has painted on light. When she wants to, she has the ability to make you feel good, like hope itself. Ms Lewis delivers generously--like an explorer who has returned from a long journey with something living, something new, something for you.

Bill

Hi Denice,

I have to tell you that I did enjoy a lot your art. I like your colors. Especially the one that you named ''Holy''. It reminds me the sentence of Helen Keller: ''The most beautiful things in the world can neither be seen nor touched, just felt in the heart'' It provides a nice contrast to the real world. SELF-FULFILLMENT and PEACE OF MIND. I think this is the key of expression in art no matter what you use to express it. I have read also your biography. I wish I could share a longer discussion with you about it. Age is a very high price to pay for maturity, and we all pay that. I am very happy that you find your path in arts and god saved you somehow from the life you used to experience before, donated and enabled you to share all the beauty of your heart with the rest of the world, and at the end with me that I am thousands of km's far from you! There is saying around here, it says that: ''If you want to let built a wooden boat for your self, do not wait others to go to a forest and cut wood hours and hours for you. Instead, try to inspire in them the memories of open seas if you can. That will be much easier!'' Though distance may keep us apart, you are embedded deep within my heart with the ''HOLY'' art of yours.

Thanks,
Vedat Muratli

Being a media and fashion illiterate I'm probably the only person in the world who hasn't heard of the star spangled career of DL. Well, I was idly looking through the Saatchi gallery when I was knocked sideways by a group of paintings that breathed with life, vitality, poise, serenity and utter beauty and I fell in love with them straightaway. When I actually read about how she produced her tribute paintings I was both asonished and moved...what a totally beautiful thing to do. Thank you Denice for the wonder and sincerity of your work..

Phillip-painter

Chère Denice,

I am maybe a neo-romantic attracted by an image, and nostalgic of an era where aristocracy and artists were learning from each others. So, I was saying that your jolie frimoussse attracted me like butterfly on light, and made me dream of a relation comme the writer Balzac had with la contesse Madame Hanska…

…so an illusion, because aujoud’hui is it possible?

Jean Francois

DAILY BUDDIST WISDOM

In my own experience, the period of greatest gain in knowledge and experienceis the most difficult period in one's life. Through a difficult period, you can learn, you can develop inner strength, determination, and courage to face the problem. Who gives you this chance? Your enemy.


His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Denice,

There was an excerpt from a book by Julia Cameron in a blog that I read one morning while surfing the net (like so many things in my life I just woke up wondering what blogs were and ended up looking at one by an cartoonist that quoted her book). It said “Creativity is not a product of ego, but rather a function of the Soul"... That really says it all for me and I'll bet you too. Your verse from the Bob Dylan song also resonated with me "She's an artist, she has everything she wants, she don't look back". It's always been my nature to question our existence and why we are Who we are so verses like those help to answer that for me.. If not creating something my life is dry and without purpose but as long as I can 'make' anything I'm happy. It's a hard thing for non-creative people to understand but it truly is a function of the soul. I could go on an on about that one but you know what I mean...

Denice Langley

I saw your link to your personal webpage and looked at your abstract work. Very interesting stuff. I really liked that you have very clear images of the work to see all the great texture in all the pieces. The remembrance series I think is also a great idea. What a way to remember people! It's how I would want to be remembered. Take care.

Stickman

Hi Denice!

I found your art work a fascinating idea! How creative and at the same time so meaningful to those left behind. What a great service you have been able to create with your artistic expression. I'm not THAT artistic, however, I can really appreciate art itself. I suppose we all have some sort of artistic expression in some way. I often think of surfing as an art form more so that a sport. It was great to meet you and thanks for the gracious e-mail back.

Aloha for now,
Jungle :)

Hi Denice,

I don’t know, if you remember who I am? Hopefully, you do. We me at “La Belle Epoque” Just want to drop you a brief note and see how you are doing? I did visit your website, and I have to tell you that in reading your poems, especially “Mom” brought tears to my heart. You are a beautiful soul, and I am honored to have met you. I don’t want to take up too much of your precious time. Give a buzz sometime, beautiful.

Con mucho carino,

Dolores M. Garcia

In regard to your work - it is gorgeous!! I think that everything you have on your website is wonderful, inspiring, and uplifting. I have found over the past two years, more than any other time in my life, that creative people feed my soul and help reaffirm my convictions to keep beauty in my life and the lives of others. I am an interior designer and midnight (!) artist myself, and somehow whether I am the one doing the work, or I am looking at that done by others, it has helped keep me alive.

I do not know what kind of health struggles you have gone through exactly, or are still dealing with, but I wish you well and thank you so much for taking the time to read this! I look forward to returning to your site regularly and seeing what beautiful things you add to it in the future. Have a great day!

Much love,
Karen

Gosh, Denice, your web site is simply amazing. I had no idea you had so much creative juices flowing from within. Your tribute art reflects one's life by extending intense energy and memories into the spirit of the soul.

You've achieved a remarkable accomplishment by mixing ashes and beautiful colors together. Your paintings are quite expressive and inspirational. Your heart is touched by God which is an extraordinary gift to be able to give to others.

Thank you so much for sharing your website with me. Thanks for being the bubbly person you are. Listen, I can't wait to finally meet you and catch glimpses of your outstanding works of art.

I'll be home tomorrow. It's a day off I've decided to take for myself. Yes, even I get sick of issuing tickets from time to time. lol So you'll know where to me after I take the kids to school in the morning.. Good Night.

Lot's of hugs from me to you,

Sharon

Hi,

I am sure that you are receiving a lot of e-mails due to the article in our professional magazine but I do want you to know that I have become an instant fan and will get to know your work more and more. As you can guess I am a funeral director and our firm deals with a lot of cremations. In fact we have our own crematory and people are always asking what different ways are available to use the cremains.

Thanks again and if you have time e-mail me

Lyle Hill

True Beauty ,

Wanted to tell the world how I was blessed in past few days to have gotten to know a very special lady who shows what true beauty is . True beauty is indeed spiritual, God given and comes from the inside out and not the opposite way that society tends to want it to appear. Denice, in a true showing of courage, is taking us to a new level of understanding about ourselves as well as our past and future aquaintances, trying to also battle day to day physical challenges that we could not imagine plague people on a daily basis hour to hour with varying symptoms. I am in health care and have seen hundreds of people fight the battle she has taken on with courage, honor and respect for all suffering individuals with fibromyalgia. God bless her and her work as well as trying to help us realize that in death they are not gone, just in another plane of existance. Most of all helping us to realize that their spirit is always with us and we shall all meet again if we beleive and have faith in our dear GOD and his son who died 2 milliniuem plus ago, but is not forgotten or away from us just like our loved ones who pass before us. Life is but a blink of an eye in eternity, but the good acts as well as not so good can live forever, especially in art works, and poetry. God bless you beautiful lady for all the good you are accomplishing on so many levels. From the heart of a health care worker.

Douglas Sharkey

Your art is amazing!!! I was thinking about you recently. I guess not having the sense to spend more time getting to know you was one of the dumber mistakes I've made in my life. I'm so glad to hear that you're doing well, and that your physical issues may be going better, and to see your wonderful creativity.

God Bless.
XXOO Doug

I am very moved by your creations. Does one need a source of pain to deliver true art? Your "Antares Heart" is stunning. To me it was a glimpse of a universe. Both filled of complete darkness...and a very strong belief in a heaven, something godlike. I am very passionate about the universe, myself. So the vision and idea of a universe filled of longings and glimpses of grief, wow. Such a beautiful thing...

Olle

I don't imagine you remember me.    I met you one afternoon for a few drinks and laughs after leaving you to wait for me for hours.  Temporarily directionally challenged.   Well you inspired me and God willing you'll see a novel out before too long, the kernel of which was formed from an idea from your life.  I think about you often as a result...Best of luck with all you're doing.
Sincerely,

Jody Summers

I just couldn't stand up from my chair and not tell you at least, something! I am listening to my super-mega-coolest- sweet husband playing guitar with two other friends. And it sounds so good, that their music inspired me. Watching your colors, and reading a little bit of your life. You have the energy that comes from some other place, right here, but a little bit higher, a good one, a plain one, you are different. Ok, I am the Argentinean girl that you met this morning at "Blue Rooster" (art store), and I came home thinking in you, in your eyes. They look deeper. That's good. I felt so connected with you in the way you tell stories. It is so funny telling you all this things and maybe you are thinking "What happens with this girl?". Happens that you make people feel motivated to express and write to you!

You are strong and hard things come followed with the good ones and surprises you are having always. You have all that experience inside your mind that your creativity explores always the way you surprise yourself. Good work, I liked it so much. I didn't even know you were that "super-model" girl! Good luck with your red paint. That will inspire you so much, because there, you can spread all your passion for life.


Congratulations,
Carolina "from Argentina".

I'm so impressed by your art I would love to have some of it. This is surprising, since I find so much abstract art to be cerebral. Your work expresses passion, and in a balanced way. It's the sort of art that would be appropriate for either a home or gallery. There are no trendy 'gimmicks'. I don't know how to describe it, but it feels tastefully provocative.

Your website is wonderful and your work is most beautiful. and you could charm the birds out of the trees with your articulate thoughts.

Your paintings display an amazing energy that radiate mythical, almost archetypal or aboriginal imagery. I would think you would be both exhilarated and exhausted at the completion of each of these creations. It seems as if you are a conduit or channel of the profound power of collective consciousness filtered through either your empathy for others or your own personal experience, depending upon the subject of each image. I know intimately the joy of union and transcendence during peaks of musical performance or at times of deep awareness when in nature, and I am so pleased to hear of you having these experiences and viewing the outpouring of these moments onto your canvas. For years, I was a serious amateur landscape/nature photographer, and you have inspired me to renew this direction.

I just finished reading your entire web site, and I have to say it was an surprisingly spiritual experience .... seriously, you are amazing, simply and truly amazing in what you do. I would love to hear about the debilitating diseases that you speak of? Your art is so genuine and real, and seems to exude such a passion of your soul ... I just love it ... your writings are very interesting to me due to my own, less professional writing.

After reading all of your web site, my first response was is she real ... ?? And then I realized yes she has to be real----you nut, she has a web site ... Then I reflected how I would love to view more of her art.

I loved your magazine photos of course, but the best photo of all was the one from the home page of your web site ... so real ... amazing!

I am a bit overwhelmed by your website....I feel so much passion for life as I read your poetry, your journal, and saw your paintings...incredible woman that you are!

I must admit that when I first read about mixing the ashes of your friend's mother to help create a celebration of her life...I was a little "taken back"...not in a bad way, just more like "wow...how does that feel to me"....you know, like I was checking in with my feelings about it...

I then started to feel the significance of such a creative and loving endeavor, and can honestly see and feel the beauty in your work. It seems to me the utmost in loving remembrance of a loved one...to create something beautiful from the physical essence of one's body as their soul departs the earthy vessel they have resided in for this particular stay on earth...wow.

What a beautiful web site. You have an amazing set of talents. I see the passion and power in your work. You also write intuitively and insightfully. I am sure that much inspires you but do you draw your strength from any particular source?

Thank you for the link to your website....all I can say is OH MY GOD YOU'RE COOL!!!!!!! I can't believe your art...how unique and interesting....it is such a great idea....I mean.... a painting has life of its own but by mixing a loved ones ashes with the paint....you give so much more meaning to the piece.....

Reading your website -- your poems, your amazing idea for the "Tribute” art -- you have a really wonderful spirit, Denice; I'm impressed when people apply a searching spirituality to their life and work.

The idea of using personal remains for lasting tribute or memorial art is nothing new. Hair was a popular early media as it was a symbol of life because it did not decompose after death.

Tombs in Egypt exhibit paintings portraying pharaohs and queens exchanging hair balls as tokens of everlasting love.

Indian women in Mexico kept locks of hair in a special jar to be buried with them so their soul would not tire from looking for missing parts and thus delay their passage to the other world.

Hair art reached its peak in the late 1800’s in Victorian England, where mourners often wore jewelry made from their loved one’s hair as a memorial and constant reminder of their lives together. The most popular form of Victorian mourning jewelry took a lock of hair and wove it into knot designs for use in broaches. Rings, bracelets, earrings, watch fobs and necklaces were also common mourning hair art forms.

Here in America, during the Civil War, soldiers would leave a lock of their hair with their families before going off to battle. Upon the soldier’s death, the hair often was made into mourning jewelry or placed in a locket.

Today, the Yanaomami Indians of the Venezuelan and Brazil border region suspend their dead in trees until the bones are picked clean. The bones are then charred, or cremated, and ground into a fine powder. The ashes are then spread onto sacred areas or made into a drink with chica, a fermented beer made from bananas, and ingested by relatives of the deceased to confer immortality on them.