Mark Friday-Lewis Art

Mark Friday-Lewis Art Welcome to Mark Lewis Art! I seek to capture the essence of a moment — the way a place feels, the quiet pulse beneath its surface.

My work is driven by a search for connection, between what is seen and what is felt, between discipline and discovery.

This is the painting that I started on Friday at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. This 8x10 plein air oil painting g...
06/22/2026

This is the painting that I started on Friday at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. This 8x10 plein air oil painting gave me the challenge of handling forground foilage in the top of the tree.

What caught my attention wasn't a single monument, but the way the afternoon light filtered through the trees and created a rhythm of light and shadow across the grounds.

Plein air painting always feels like a race against changing conditions. By the time the painting starts coming together, the light has usually moved on. The challenge is deciding what to hold onto, what to simplify, and what to leave behind.

Yesterday I spent some time sketching from Kaya's booth at Findlay Market. They were vending their artwork, and will be ...
06/21/2026

Yesterday I spent some time sketching from Kaya's booth at Findlay Market. They were vending their artwork, and will be there most weekends throughout the summer.

The market was packed with people, color, and movement. I wasn't trying to capture every detail so much as the feeling of the place—the steady flow of visitors, the bright tents and umbrellas, and the energy of the market.

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati today at Alms Park. I started this sketch while the sky was overcast and the light was...
06/21/2026

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati today at Alms Park. I started this sketch while the sky was overcast and the light was soft and steady. Not long after, the sun broke through and completely changed the scene.

Rather than sit there and roast in the heat, I retreated into the shade of the building and finished the color from memory and observation. It's always interesting how quickly a sketch becomes a record of a specific moment—one that no longer exists by the time the drawing is finished.

Urban sketching has a way of slowing me down and helping me notice places I might otherwise walk right past.

A quick 8x10 oil study from last evening at Sharonwoods park.I was drawn to the shadow pattern cutting between the two h...
06/17/2026

A quick 8x10 oil study from last evening at Sharonwoods park.

I was drawn to the shadow pattern cutting between the two hills and started painting just as the light was getting interesting. Not long after, the sun disappeared behind the trees and the scene changed completely. The rest became an exercise in observation, memory, and trying to hold onto what first caught my attention.

These small studies are teaching me to make decisions faster, simplify what I see, and trust the larger shapes instead of chasing every detail.

There are sone things I need to change/correct in this one. I might just go back though a little earlier time and do another one.

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati for their annual "boUrban Sketching" meetup at Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville. I com...
06/11/2026

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati for their annual "boUrban Sketching" meetup at Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville. I completed the ink drawing on location, then brought it home to add color and finish the piece.

This sketch also checks off the mandatory fisheye drawing in my new sketchbook.

This 9x12 oil painting is from last night's open figure session at Manifest Drawing Center.My goal was to focus on color...
06/03/2026

This 9x12 oil painting is from last night's open figure session at Manifest Drawing Center.

My goal was to focus on color and value relationships rather than getting caught up in details. Some areas came together quickly, while others took several attempts. I repainted the eye on the right side of the painting multiple times before it felt closer to what I was seeing.

One thing I continue to appreciate about painting from life is how much it sharpens observation. Every session seems to reveal something I hadn't noticed before, whether it's a color shift, a value relationship, or a drawing mistake that was hiding in plain sight.

I've been attending these sessions regularly for a while now, and each painting feels like another small step forward. There is still plenty to learn, but that's part of what keeps it interesting.

Spent a second day working on this plein air oil painting at Sharon Woods. This view looks toward the back side of the d...
05/30/2026

Spent a second day working on this plein air oil painting at Sharon Woods. This view looks toward the back side of the dam and bridge, where the massive concrete forms, deep shadows, and winding path create an unexpected sense of scale and structure within the landscape.

One of the things I enjoy about painting outdoors is how much more you notice when you slow down. Returning to the same location a second day gave me the chance to refine the drawing, adjust relationships, and respond to the changing light in a more deliberate way. Every plein air painting feels like a conversation between observation, memory, and the clock.

Oil on panel, painted on location.

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati for their boUrban Sketchers event at Annie Oakley’s.I usually come to these events to ...
05/22/2026

Joined Urban Sketchers Cincinnati for their boUrban Sketchers event at Annie Oakley’s.

I usually come to these events to sketch people, but this time the only person in the drawing is me—caught in the mirror’s reflection. It was a fun shift and a different kind of challenge.

Sharonwoods on a beautiful day.
05/17/2026

Sharonwoods on a beautiful day.

Address

Blue Ash, OH

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mark Friday-Lewis Art posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category