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At age ten he displayed a natural talent for
music after taking some lessons on the
accordion. He began to compose his own music.
While attending high school in his hometown of
Thorp, Wisconsin during the mid-sixties, he
became fascinated with rock 'n roll and pop
music. After purchasing his first guitar he
taught himself how to play and joined a rock
band. Intrigued by the many pop-art posters
being sold everywhere at that time, Dennis found
another great adventure: Designing his own
original posters.
After high school Dennis attended school in
Wausau, Wisconsin to study architectural design
but did not realize then he would be applying
this knowledge to fine art paintings at a later
time.
Upon completing school courses in Wasau,
Dennis's band had the opportunity to record
their music in Chicago. While there he visited a
major art museum and was in awe over the highly
detailed paintings of the "Old Masters". So
impressed by these magnificent works of art, he
would spend up to sixteen hours at a time
experimenting with different styles and
techniques of oil painting.
By the late 70's, Dennis had the opportunity to
sell some of his paintings through an art
gallery in Chicago and within about a year was
discovered by many other art dealers and
collectors. By 1982 he had to paint six days a
week just to keep up with sales. By this time
his work had attained a quality comparable to
the "Old Masters" works that he had admired in
museums.
In 1985 Dennis and his wife, Susanne, relocated
to southern California where the major portion
of his artwork was being marketed. Now and then
they take time out to go on romantic trips to
scenic and historic places. The trips very often
turn adventuresome due to another constant
traveling companion, his camera. It was either a
pretty Victorian house, or an old, quaint
English village, or maybe that elusive majestic
castle in Germany that he had to find in order
to photograph and use in his home studio. When
Dennis makes personal appearances at art
exhibits, people are delighted with the story of
how a painting comes together and that he found
the subject for it.. on a certain "trip".
Mr. Lewan has developed a style with unique
qualities and has become "the modern day master
of realism, romanticism and fantasy". He says,
"I concentrate on picking up where the "Old
Masters" left off, by adding camouflaged images
in many of my paintings. I like to have a
painting tell a story and stimulate the
imagination of everyone who views it. I like to
create in each painting a special place that
people want to 'walk into and visit' ".
Art collectors are also attracted by the great
depth and detail of each painting and other
artists have been inspired to emulate his style.
Dennis's paintings have made their way into many
countries and into the collections of many
celebrities, corporations and banking
institutions. Among the awards he has received,
the one he seems most proud of is the 1997
Collector's Edition Award of Excellence
in the fine art print category. His winning
painting titled "The Bearister's Mansion" was
chosen by popular vote from the many readers of
Collector's Edition Magazine
all over North America.
Recalling a beautiful song by Paul McCartney
titled "The Long and Winding Road", Dennis
relates: "I feel I have traveled that road and
am still on it". |
