Jim Lewis

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jim’s art career started in the 1970s on the subway cars of New York City as a young teenage graffiti artist. After a few years and a few arrests, Jim traded his spray cans and markers, for paintbrushes and canvas. He studied painting for several years and became a portrait artist.

Jim painted for a few years but was always searching for a new way to create his kind of art. His love of martial arts, combined with his passion for tattoos led him on a road of self-discovery.

By merging two art forms that date back centuries, Jim has created a very unique style of art. Japanese Engravings and tattoo art and design are the inspiration for Jim’s pen & ink pieces. By using a variety of needles in his pen, and liquid acrylic to engrave onto a cotton board, the patterns and textures came to life. This type of art can take anywhere from a few months up to a full year to complete just one-piece, depending on the size.

Jim’s pieces are visually stunning with high detail, meticulous precision, and explosive colors. He loves the challenge of a custom piece and he’s constantly in communication with his clients during the process. A project he is especially proud of is the commission he received from Grammy-nominated, Jazz musician, Charlie Wood, to design his album cover.

For the last 35 years, Jim has been living in Texas and creating beautiful pen & ink art.