A Life in Color and Design
Val Edwin Lewton was a painter and museum exhibition designer. Born in Santa Monica, United States, he was the son of Val Lewton, a producer of B movies for RKO Pictures, and Ruth Knapp, a painter and teacher. After graduating from Whitman College and earning a master of fine arts degree from Claremont University, he moved to the Washington, DC area. He spent 32 years serving on the staff of the Smithsonian American Art Museum while maintaining his career as a painter.
As a painter, Lewton created Realist acrylic paintings and watercolors. His work predominantly focused on urban and suburban scenes, particularly within the Washington, DC, area. His subjects included landscapes and cityscapes, often depicted with a detached, impersonal sensibility where personalities are absent from the spaces he described.
Artistic Legacy and Exhibition Design
Beyond his canvas, Lewton was recognized for his ability to design museum exhibitions that suited the specific styles of featured artists. During his tenure at the National Museum of American Art, he created experiences for the work of various artists, sometimes using elements like drapery to evoke specific eras. He also worked on a freelance basis for the Phillips Collection.
His paintings are held in several public collections, including:
