Watt Stax Record Shack

John Iowa Lewis (1913–2012)

1973

Oil on canvas

Gift of the Baker Family; 2008.5.18

Jack Lewis was originally from Baltimore but moved to Delaware during the Depression to document the activities of the Civilian Conservation Corps. He developed a signature abstract style, which distinguished the architectural studies, cityscapes, portraits, and landscapes that he painted throughout the Delmarva Peninsula for the next sixty years. Having continued his studies at Rutgers University, Lewis taught painting classes at the Rehoboth Art League, in Bridgeville, and at the Dover Air Force Base, all in Delaware. He also published seven books on his regional watercolor studies, including Pacific Odyssey, The Hudson River, and The Chesapeake Bay Scene.