Lex Lucius
Lex Lucius is a printmaker, sculptor, painter, and fabricator/patina expert who studied at California College of the Arts and the University of New Mexico. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from California College of the Arts, 1985 and a Master of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico, 1989.
“I live in the Roaring Fork Valley just north of Aspen, Colorado, tucked into the Rocky Mountains. My life is full of family, painting and horses and my clothes smell of the stable, and on far too many days my boots of the pasture. Less than five minutes from my painting studio is the stable where my wife Aimée keeps her jumping horses and my daughter her pony. When I drive over to watch them ride, I pass by a field of polo ponies. It’s these ponies that have become my favorites to paint because I love their small, muscled bodies and I see such strength and determination in their movements. At the stable our warmbloods are huge muscled yet incredibly calm animals, even in my paintings they have a sureness of movement and a stillness that speaks of this confidence.
I try to invoke the feelings I get from these animals but just as importantly I also try to bring the stories and dreams we all carry within us when we think of horses and what horses mean to us all. I am focusing on art I want to see, art that makes me feel. It is my hope that these paintings bring out feelings of comfort and connection in the viewers also.”
Lex was inspired to create his horse pieces by his desire to experiment with mark-making artwork. In art, mark-making is a term used to describe the different lines, patterns, and textures that are made visible as a manifestation of applied or gestural energy. It is the gestural “language” of the artist, and it is a term that can refer to any art material applied to any surface. Mark making is considered an expressive way of creating visual art. Lex uses ink, gesso, and acrylic and applies his mediums with only a rag using broad gestures, which is why he loves working on a larger scale
Lex is also known for his flawless fabrication work. He has been working with the family of famed Austrian American artist, Herbert Bayer, to bring to life some of the late artist's sculpture concepts. Herbert Bayer is renowned for his work as a graphic designer, painter, photographer, sculptor, art director, environmental and interior designer, and architect. He was instrumental in the development of the Atlantic Richfield Company's corporate art collection until his death in 1985 and his work is featured in institutions like the Guggenheim. Lex has been working to recreate his concepts since 2007.
