Lewis Stein

sky paintings, 1976 - 84

All paintings are 68” x 96” x 1 1/4” (173 x 244 x 16 cm), acrylic on canvas. The first five paintings were made in 1976. These were five canvases each sprayed with a different monochrome shade and color of blue sky. Subsequent paintings were made in the following manner:

Standing in a certain spot in my studio, looking out a certain window I could see a section of sky, In these paintings I tried to duplicate how the sky appeared out this window at a certain (arbitrary) time – Wednesday at 12:00 noon (middle of the week). Colors were always mixed at the time and photographic reproductions were at times necessary as an expedient in realizing the work. Color was applied by spray gun and air brush.

10 paintings were done in 1977 on 10 consecutive weeks when I had a studio at P.S.1 in Long Island City. They were continued in my studio later in March 1979 first at a frequency of one every four weeks and then one every five weeks.

The progression was interrupted in July 1984.