Karen Lewis: Ojai Museum to present The Seven Decades of Creativity - The Art of Karen Lewis

English Garden Mural - Oil on Canvas; In the Collection of the Ventura County Museum

This summer, the Ojai Valley Museum presents Seven Decades: The Art of Karen K. Lewis, a retrospective celebrating the remarkable seventy-year career of one of Ojai’s most enduring and influential artists. The exhibition will run from June 19 to August 3, with an opening reception on Friday, June 20, from 5–7 PM.

A longtime Ojai resident, Karen K. Lewis has spent her life exploring the interplay of color, form, and memory. From her early days as a portrait artist in Washington, D.C., to her role as co-founder of the pioneering Pindar Gallery in SoHo, and finally to her decades of creativity in Ojai, Lewis’s work reflects a lifetime of evolution, passion, and storytelling through paint.

Potomac River in Winter - Oil on Canvas; Private Collection

“My life has been filled with love and art,” said Lewis. “My work often expresses my discoveries, my connection to family, and the support I’ve received—and offered—to fellow artists. Co-founding the Pindar Gallery during SoHo’s art boom was one of the highlights of my New York years. Later, coming to Ojai brought me full circle, reconnecting me with landscapes and building community through the Ojai Studio Artists.”

Karen’s journey began in the 1950s while studying at UCLA and has taken her from Capitol Hill clerk to MFA graduate, educator, and gallery co-founder and exhibitor. She has exhibited widely across New York, Ventura County, and Los Angeles, featuring her work in public and private collections. In 2012, Focus on the Masters honored and documented her for her contributions to the arts.

The Artist in Her Studio, ArtBarn, on Foothill Rd., in Ojai

This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of Lewis’s career—from intimate family scenes and expressive portraits to vibrant landscapes and abstract works shaped by a life of reflection and reinvention.

Exhibit Dates: June 19 – August 3

Opening Reception: June 20, 5–7 PM

Location: Ojai Valley Museum, 130 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai, CA

For more information, visit www.ojaivalleymuseum.org or call 805.640.1390