Varnish Fine Art Presents: Mike Davis & Henry Lewis Contemporary Surre March 2, 2013

Opening reception Sat, March 2, 6-9pm; Exhibit March 2 - April 13, Tues - Sat 11am to 6pm

Varnish Fine Art is proud to present "Mike Davis & Henry Lewis: Contemporary Surrealists", opening with a reception on March 2nd. Davis and Lewis create oil paintings filled with personal, complex narratives and symbolic languages developed over time in their professional lives as highly acclaimed tattooers. Although they each possess signature styles, Mike Davis and Henry Lewis both debut new works that "move toward the light" side of the dark worlds exposed on the panel.

As a classic outsider, Mike Davis is a self-taught artist with a fascinating personal iconography. Henry Lewis exposes the warrior essence of his subjects, conveying their victories, tragedies and triumphs. Using his signature symbolism of armor and weaponry, he depicts the inherent fragility of humanity and the individual's ability to overcome adversity. Although Henry Lewis has shown extensively, this is his first exhibit at Varnish.

"Being a tattooer has really been my art school... it has forced me to draw constantly and think about the fundamentals." - Mike Davis

Inspired by the Northern Renaissance masters and 1960's/70's album art, Mike Davis paints symbolic narratives that tell highly personal tales. The very specific and purposefully placed symbols in each work are a part of Davis' personal iconography, developed over time to speak to his own experiences. The truth of the piece may never be revealed, but the exquisite details and humor in the face of grim circumstances offer the viewer a glimpse into Davis' very soul.

"Since I could hold a trumpet... I knew that art was gonna be the life and death of me." - Henry Lewis

Born into a musical and artistic home, Henry Lewis embraced fine art as a way to deal with the tragedies and triumphs of life. His works are filled with armored subjects wielding ancient weapons; protecting their fragile forms from the outside world and their own inner demons.

Official Website: http://www.varnishfineart.com