Fuel, Form, and Fine Art: Behind the Work of Anita Lewis

For this edition of our Behind the Print blog series, we’re thrilled to feature the powerful and visionary work of internationally acclaimed artist Anita Lewis. Known for her bold fusion of motorsport and abstract expressionism, Anita’s art captures movement, energy, and elegance in ways that blur the line between fine art and adrenaline-fueled performance.

From Formula 1 circuits to ballet stages, her work is inspired by the poetry of motion—and Artbeat Studios is proud to play a part in helping her bring that vision to life through print. We’re honored to share her story and creative process with you.

Website(s): abstractmotorsportart.com, anitalewis.com

Instagram(s): @anitalewis_motorsportart, @anitalewisart

What inspired you to pick up oil painting?

I first discovered oil painting at age 12, when I was invited to watch an advanced class. But instead of just observing, the instructor surprised me by placing a canvas and paints in front of me and said, “Paint what you see.” I dove in—and loved every minute of it. When I finished, the instructor was amazed and told the class, “This is what I’m talking about.”

That moment lit a spark in me, and I’ve been painting in oils ever since. I prefer oils to acrylics as they are more buttery and are workable for a longer period of time. Also, a very important historical aspect for me are the early masters of abstracts who worked in oils, such as Diebenkorn, Pollack (early works), Kandinsky, Mondrian, Rothko and more.

You work a lot with layered oils and sometimes metallic elements. How does texture contribute to the emotional or visual impact of your abstracts?

Working with layered oils and metallic elements, I use texture to enhance both the emotional and visual impact of my work. The depth and three-dimensionality created through these layers express a complex, visionary experience—one that invites the viewer to discover surprises and hidden details, “detail in the obscure” within the abstract or more pictorial compositions.

Whether in pure abstraction or representational subjects,texture becomes a vital tool for conveying nuance, energy, and a sense of discovery, which I also use in my racing art to convey the sense of motion and speed.

Many of your motorsport pieces capture speed , adrenaline, and the sleek design of race cars. How do you translate such intense motion into a static, abstract visual language?

My interest in motorsport, ballet and the equine world , or skiing or really anything with motion, seems to captivate my painting subjects. I have had experience in all of these subjects, which I wish to express in my art. With ballet and motorsport, the sense of motion and emotive energy is expressed through my techniques of layering and obscuring detail, to simulate the idea of motion. These very different worlds are really not so different when it comes to expressing movement, speed and disciplined motion.

What advice would you give to new and aspiring artists?

The only advice I can truly give is to create from the heart, never give up, and keep practicing. The professional art world is about 1/3rd talent, actual creating, and disciplined studio time, (whether you feel like it or not) and the rest is necessary stuff to get it out there and be seen and appreciated and paid for.

How do you choose what images to print and in what medium?

I choose most of my motorsport images to print as I do sell quite a few to collectors at my shows and events. I like the white glossy print on metal as the images come through as if they were originals under glass and look stunning.

Once in a while I will print in silver metal if there are silver components to my work or if the subject lends itself to that silvery look. A popular choice I also make is to print on canvas for limited edition prints which I also can embellish at events.

What led you to partner with Artbeat Studios for your fine art printing needs?

I found Artbeat Studios while I still lived and worked in Oceanside, CA, and after a personal visit, and some trial images, I was convinced we were a good fit for my art which in my world requires a reliable source with good quality and friendly customer service. That being said, I am more than satisfied and it makes my work much easier to have a good partner.

Do glitches happen? Real life happens once in a blue moon, but they are also very accommodating.

Thank you Artbeat Studios!