1	Choosing Realism By Lacey Lewis
2	To See My Work: www.lacey-lewis.com www.laceylewis.blogspot.com Unity Church of Overland Park Solo Show at the Spotlight Gallery in the Unity Church of Overland Park April and May 2006 Location: 10300 Antioch Rd. in Overland Park, KS.
3	Purpose To discuss why I have chosen to be a representational/realist artist. To prove that realism provides greater expressive freedom. Explore the possible negative effects modernism has had on the arts. Highlight recent events in contemporary realism.
4	Artistic Autobiography Decided on art as a career before entering high-school. Moved to KC area in 2003 with an A.A.S. in Art. Felt artistically adrift and lacking in skill. Dedicated myself to honing my abilities, particularly in painting.
5	Why Depict Life? Elements of art include: line, space, form, composition, texture, color, shape, value. Artists arrange recognizable objects to communicate specific ideas to the viewer. To exclude representational aspects in art is to limit the artists ability to express him/herself.
6	An Abstract Uses elements of art, including shape, space, composition, color. Does not clearly express a specific idea.
7	Security Alert Red Clearly expresses an idea and causes an emotional and psychological reaction with the viewer. Also a pleasantly convincing illusion!
8	"The nature of a work..." The nature of a work of art is to be not a part, nor yet a copy of the real world (as we commonly understand that phrase), but a world in itself, independent, complete, autonomous; And to possess it fully you must enter that world, conform to its laws, and ignore for a time the beliefs, aims, and particular conditions which belong to you in the other world of reality. Oxford Lectures on Poetry: Professor Bradley: 1901. pigraph to Jeannette Winterson, Art & Lies: A Piece for Three Voices and a Bawd (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995).
9	Modernism and Objectivity Modernist ideas often exclude objective standards. If art is completely subjective, anything is art and anyone can be an artist. If there is no objectivity, then credentials and marketing replace ability and skill.
10	Modernism and Objectivity Paris museum director Alfred Packmon observes that Duchamp and the Dadaists were making the point that art was no longer just a nice bunch of flowers on the wall: "The artist is the person who decides what is art and what is not art.” -Dada on Display at the National Gallery of Art by Susan Stamberg Morning Edition, February 17, 2006
11	Abstract Expressionism Rainbow Rising Sun Shannon, Age 3 Hans Hofmann Private Collection Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
12	Modernism and Expression Art about itself; limited means and limited expression. Focus on the new and unique and shock-value. When artwork is meaningless without specific information, the importance of the viewer is trivial.
13	Art and the Public The lack of general quality of modernist art and the absence of meaning especially to non-artist viewers combined with the frenzy for all things new and shocking has caused art to be viewed as a joke and for artists to be seen as juvenile or insane. If it were to include or consider the viewer, communicate to the viewer, or at least retain beauty or show admirable skill, fine art would be as much a part of our daily lives as are music, literature, film and theatre.
14	"“There must once again..." “There must once again be a distinct meaning to the term, "artist." It cannot be a point of pride if applied too liberally. We cannot expect others to respect it if we cannot distinguish ourselves from the average person by the quality of what we do, and by the seriousness and dedication with which we pursue our life's work.” From “Restoring Prestige to Our Profession” by Virgil Elliott
15	"The 20th century practically" The 20th century practically destroyed five hundred years of carefully acquired knowledge in the art and science of fine painting… Times are changing though. There is a great groundswell of interest on the part of the young in traditional painting and accurate drawing. The discipline will take twenty to fifty years before it gets back to the point where it was in about 1880. After that, watch out! Most of the great works are yet to be done. - Bill Whitaker
16	Realist Revival While modernist works have dominated the market, artists have continued to and are increasingly producing astonishing realist work. The demand for classical training has prompted the return of the atelier.
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18	Thanks Thanks to the Kim Dow, Virgil Elliott, Tim Tyler and William Whitaker for their kind permission to use their work in this slide show and for inspiring me. Thanks to the Johnson County Library for allowing me the opportunity to share my views and my work. Thanks to friends and family, particularly my mother and my husband, for support and encouragement.