Ojai artist Karen K. Lewis marks 80th birthday with new show

Karen K. Lewis' life, and art, will be the life of the party this weekend. And you're invited.

The Ojai artist last week opened a new show, "Visual Harvest," at the Ojai Art Center, and a reception on Saturday will double as her 80th birthday party.

In a post on Facebook, Lewis opened up the bash to anyone and everyone. "Y'all come!" she wrote.

Her new show features a mix of oil paintings, etchings and monoprints created over the past five decades. During that span, she's lived and worked in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., New York and, finally, Ojai.

Lewis spent a big chunk of her career as a studio painter specializing in large-scale oils. But after moving to Ojai in 1990, she fell in love with the landscape and developed a passion for plein-air.

One of her large oils, inspired by a London garden scene, is now in the Ventura County Museum of History & Art's collection. In 1995, she turned her attention to the "sculptural grandeur" of chairs, resulting in a show at the Ventura County Government Center titled "Please Be Seated." She's also found inspiration in abandoned dolls and playground ballerinas.

"Visual Harvest" is up through Sept. 5 at the Ojai Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. The reception/birthday bash, featuring live music by the Household Gods, will take place 1-6 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit ojaiartcenter.org or call 646-0117. Lewis' website is karenklewis.com.