Lewis Achenbach's Jazz Occurrence

ACA Exhibits “Jazz Occurrence” Paintings by Lewis Achenbach

Visitors to the Addison Center for the Arts gallery had a chance to see a collection of Jazz Occurrence paintings by Lewis Achenbach on display from August 20 through September 24, 2022. The show opened with a public reception from 5 to 7PM on Saturday, August 20, 2022. Local rock and blues guitar legend, Joe Eddy Brown, collaborated with Lewis Achenbach on a demonstration of the artist’s creative process.

An intrinsic feature of Jazz music is it’s loose structure and improvisational riffs. But instead of slapping the upright bass or blowing a brassy sax, visual artist Lewis Achenbach from Wheaton joins the band and jams along with paint on canvas. As he works in tandem with the musicians, his paintings give insight to and celebrate a synaesthesia of two art forms. His paintings are documents of a multisensory event - a Jazz Occurrence.

Each performance and each painting have their own ambience wherein Achinbach has “captured the frequency of the room.” Through his artistry, viewers can feel the lively, frenetic, or sultry vibe of a concert.
 
“My background in animation is important in the success of a Jazz Occurrence, utilizing storytelling, storyboards, key frames, key poses. Consider a painting that takes a 45 minute set to create. This artwork is built using layers of music abstracted and representation, like looking at the frames of an animated film, all at once. It is a document of time; a form of time travel, each brushstroke portending the next musical phrase. Absurd in concept, yet potential beautiful and revelatory in the act. Every artwork is a sketch for a singular body of work that tells the Sonic Story.”
- Lewis Achenbach

After the opening reception for his solo exhibition at the Addison Center for the Arts, Lewis Achenbach returned Monday, August 29, 2022 to speak to Addison Trail High School art students. Ms. Ramón faithfully brings her art classes to view exhibitions at the ACA Gallery, but this time the artist was present to add more information about his paintings. Ms. Ramon's AP Art Classes and Mr. Hockensmith's Introduction to Art had the opportunity to hear about Art as a Career.

Ms. Ramón expressed the value of artist talk: “My A.P. art students were able to ask questions about their artistic journey and the thought process related to their works in the gallery. Some have already been inspired to visually express their own types of music.”

Achenbach recalls what it was like to be a young, creative person who had just learned the basics.
“It is the beginning of a lifelong path of discovery; to criticize and respond to praise and criticism.” If our discussion at the ACA ignited new ways of thinking somehow, I've done my job.. There's the box, out of the box, and then you realize there's no box. Arts and innovation will change this world, one paintbrush at a time.”

In 2022, the Addison Center for the Arts awarded two scholarships to ATHS graduates to study theater and fine arts. Julie Mars, director of communications at the Addison Center for the Arts explains: “The ACA is always happy to host student groups.. This week I had the opportunity to inform AP students about our annual scholarship program for those who want to study art after high school.

Lewis Achenbach had a collection of twelve original paintings from 'Jazz Occurrence' on display and for sale at the Addison Center for the Arts through September 24, 2022. 

The members of the Addison Center for the Arts and the Addison Artists' Guild enjoyed a private demonstration of Lewis Achenbach's Jazz Occurrence in concert with Phuong (Felix) Pham on electric piano on Septemberber 15, 2022. 

​Thanks to Clyde's Donuts for donating the DELICIOUS donut holes for everyone to munch on. So goooood.