New exhibition at Swan Hill Studios showcases paintings inspired by memory and place
Opening this February at Swan Hill Studios, Story is a new exhibition by artist Lee Lewis that brings together paintings inspired by people, places and remembered moments. Using acrylic on stretched canvas, Lewis combines observation and imagination to create scenes that feel both familiar and quietly evocative.
Working primarily in acrylic on stretched canvas, Lewis draws on observation, memory and imagination to capture scenes that feel familiar yet emotionally resonant. Some works depict figures in landscapes, absorbed in ordinary activities and grounded in the present moment. Others are more nostalgic, inspired by remembered holidays, caravans, tents and the small, comforting details of the past.
Together, these paintings form open-ended narratives, encouraging viewers to connect their own memories and experiences to the scenes before them. Colour plays a key role throughout the exhibition, with bright, saturated palettes creating warmth, atmosphere and emotional connection.
At its heart, Story is an exhibition about noticing — the beauty found in the everyday, the memories embedded in landscapes, and the quiet stories people carry with them.
The exhibition is curated with Sam Pooley Stride, founder of Swan Hill Studios, continuing the studio’s commitment to presenting thoughtful, artist-led exhibitions that foreground narrative, process and emotional resonance.
Lee Lewis has been creating artwork for over 40 years. She grew up in Wales and studied art in Manchester and Wolverhampton. Her wide-ranging practice has included original prints, sound, performance and painting, and she has exhibited extensively across the UK and internationally.
Her previous solo exhibitions include the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, Shrewsbury Castle, Plas Glyn y Weddw in Llanbedrog, The Galway in Paris, Gregynog Hall in Wales, Maintenant for Le Tour de France, and Listen to Me at MayFest in Newtown. Group exhibitions have taken place at venues such as The Queen’s Hall in Hexham, Bloomsbury Theatre in London, the National Railway Museum, Lessedra Print in Sofia, Bulgaria, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lewis was also selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in both 2024 and 2025.
The private view for Story will take place on February 5 from 3pm to 7pm. The exhibition runs from February 6 to 22, with visitors able to meet the artist in residence daily from 10am to 3pm.
Story will be on show at Swan Hill Studios, 17a Swan Hill, Shrewsbury, SY1 2L.
