Margate artist Darren Lewis to hold first solo exhibition at Pie Factory Gallery

September 6, 2022 Kathy Bailes Events 3

darrenl2 — Darren Lewis presents Me, Myself and Margate

Margate artist Darren Lewis will hold his first solo exhibition at the town’s Pie Factory Gallery this month.

The 50-year-old had seven consecutive years co-exhibiting at the gallery with fellow artist and good friend Ross Andrews.

This year provides an opportunity for Darren to display a collection of intimate, personal, and private paintings that will be on view to the public for the very first time. For those that have visited past exhibitions, viewers will be familiar with the Margate sunset backdrops to his harbour paintings which he is gaining an increasing reputation for.

This exhibition, ‘Me, Myself and Margate’, offers a glimpse into Darren’s personal life. The standard sunsets of Margate Harbour are woven between paintings of his family (including his pets). Other places of interest, such as the bays of Botany, Kingsgate, Viking, Minnis and Walpole, convey his passion for the sky, sea and sand. There are also paintings of past trips abroad, and in particular, his love of the Turkish Riviera.

A childhood memory of Northdown Park and a rare self-portrait in the studio provide a more personal insight.

Having lived by the sea for 50 years, Darren says visual coastlines are ingrained in his make-up. Living in Margate, he paints the things he sees around him, the things he knows well and is comfortable with.

Darren has had previous paintings featured in three international art magazines; Modern Painters (2000), Paint and Draw (2017, issue 9) and he was the editor’s choice in Leisure Painter (March 2017).

The former Dane Court students has also featured on the front cover of Margate Mercury 2017 and articles in Kent Life magazine, Isle magazine and The Isle of Thanet News.