Paul Lewin Series-Kianga

Kianga is a 16x20 inch ribbon-cut puzzle and is one of three puzzles in the Paul Lewin Series which includes Kianga, Microcosm, and Hummingbird Spirit.

Paul Lewin is an acclaimed painter, creating small-scale wood pieces to murals. His work has previously been featured on three jigsaw puzzles and four Octavia Butler novel covers. He is Jamaican-born and after spending 17 years in the Bay Area, Paul returned to the Miami area to be closer to family and the community of his youth. He has been nominated for a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award.

Artist Statement

I started drawing around the age of 5 with inspiration coming from TV and movies; sci-fi, fantasy, and animation. My father was also an influence. I assisted him with woodworking and creative projects. He taught me about science, nature, and ancient cultures, which eventually became the foundation of my art. 

The art emerging from Oakland and San Francisco brought me to the Bay Area in 2004. I was a worker-owner at Rainbow Grocery from 2008-2017. There I met amazing people who impacted my art and learned the intricacies of running a business, which was invaluable knowledge for managing a full-time art career. 

My days off in San Francisco were often spent walking and admiring the murals. What drew me in was the blended elements of different cultures with graffiti, street art, surrealism, and other contemporary art. “The Women's Building” in the Mission was the first time I had seen a mural of that size and scale up close. The figures, color palette, and flow of the imagery around the building made a great impression on me. In 2011 I got my first studio space and worked on my Caribbean folklore series. These paintings were a blend of my ancestral heritage, surrealism, and Afrofuturism. In 2015, Betti Ono Gallery in Downtown Oakland invited me to do a show. It was a great opportunity from a gallery that does impactful local work. I did three solo shows there over three years, which launched my career as a full-time artist. 

Nature has been an important part of my work since I created the Caribbean folklore series. The hummingbird is the national bird of Jamaica, my home country, so it is a wonderful way for me to pay homage to the profound respect my ancestors held for nature, science, the dream world, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Paul has an active Instagram presence and retail business on his website.