We have been looking forward to a new body of work from Kris Lewis, and we are excited this morning to show you new paintings from his upcoming exhibition at David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, opening Friday, November 9. Lewis' new work again shows a rare talent in both surreal and photoreal portrait art, with each portrait shown here an oil on canvas or panel work.

It's no secret we're fans of Los Angeles-based painter Kris Lewis. Lewis' oil paintings are remarkable for a number of reasons but we're especially enthusiastic about his tattooed cast of characters. 'Kris Lewis takes much of his inspiration from his mother who taught him the importance of hard work, dedication and a love of tradition. As an immigrant who had to flee from communist forces in her home country of Latvia, she instilled in her son a love of his heritage...'

Los-Angeles-based artist Kris Lewis' exquisite oil paintings practically glow with a supernatural vitality, their otherworldly quality reminiscent of such artistic masters as Andrew Wyeth and Hans Holbein. Soft and supple, with delicate, almost exaggerated gamine features, Lewis' portrayal of the female form evokes a classical vision of divinity with a very modern surreal twist.

We showed a batch of Kris Lewis' paintings on the site a few months back, and there was a ton of enthusiasm on the new work. Tomorrow, May 20, at David B. Smith Gallery, Kris Lewis will unveil another new body of work, some of which we have after the jump.