Lewis Smith

1907 - 1998

Lewis Smith, an Outsider artist from Ohio, was an eccentric who never showed his art while alive yet left a treasure trove of pictures and writings of his colorful life. A lifetime railroad pass allowed him to travel beyond the family farm and towns of Ohio to pursue his many passions and compulsively document in journals and pictures what he saw. Smith’s travels included following women’s athletic events that he would depict on brown paper from grocery bags. A carnival atmosphere is often pictured with costumes, captions, animals, and odd elements combined with the animated women. He once wrote, "I want the whole world to be in my head and still wear my own hat." The pictures and compulsive journals attempted to do just that, and reveal a most unusual artist under the hat.  He lived most of his life in the woods of Ohio, alone after the death of his mother drawing, writing, and painting on paper, cardboard, and the walls of his house and buildings. His work reflects his preoccupation with muscular women (especially boxers and wrestlers), trains, time, and money. He did not take up art until he was in his 60's. He was widely read and subscribed to over 100 newspapers around the country. He was known for his amazing memory for detail, and family members consulted him as the family historian. He also rode his bicycle to libraries, auctions, and sales for miles around. An empty box or bag was not a piece of trash to Smith. Rather, it became a space for another artwork. Lewis Smith is now recognized internationally for the talent in art that he was. Untrained, strange, and prolific, he was included in a museum show on art brut in France in 2000. He is also included in the book "ABCD une collection d'art brut". - American Primitive Gallery & Folk Artisans