"Happy customers: that is what it is all about in this business...
We were fortunate to see Barbara Lewis's work at the same time as we had the champion filly SNAP. She did the most wonderful drawings of her and over the years she has painted and drawn all our favourite mares and foals and racehorses. No one captures the spirit and essence of a horse like Barbara does, she is utterly exceptional and I treasure all the pictures I have by her."
Henrietta Bedford
Woburn Abbey
Woburn,
England
"I first met Barbara Lewis at the home of Phar Lap sculptor, Joanne Gessler-Sullivan, on the outskirts of Auckland in 2007. My direct experience of her as a professional artist began with a private request I made of her to produce a sketch of Phar Lap as he might have appeared as LOT 41 at the 1928 NY Sales at Trentham. My purpose was to include it as an illustration in a book I was co-authoring, Phar Lap – The Untold Story. The sketch was brilliant and so overpoweringly real that I immediately commissioned a painting of it (oil on canvas) for myself.
Meanwhile the publisher of our book was so delighted by her sketch of LOT 41 that he unhesitatingly engaged her to produce the cover sheet for the book that was published in November, 2009. The cover sheet she designed is stunning, greatly enhancing the book’s presentation. The book was subsequently short-listed and received the runner-up prize at the inaugural Whittaker Book Prize awards for outstanding contributions to the history of Australasian Horseracing held at Randwick Racecourse in May 2010. I know the cover sheet caught the eye, favourably, of the judges.
Barbara’s painting of LOT 41 enlivens me whenever I stop to gaze at it. Her use of colour and detail is a visual joy to behold and I usually manage to see something new in it whenever I study it closely. I am delighted that her work in equine painting is now being recognised internationally by the distinguished awards she consistently receives at the annual exhibitions of the American Academy of Equine Art in Kentucky, USA.
She also happens to be a lovely person, but that’s another story."
"Barbara's work has immortilised our racehorses for us to enjoy, years after the sensation of winning Group One races. Many thanks to you, looking forward to 'more to come'.
"Congratulations on your wonderful achievements."
Jen Campin
Cambridge, New Zealand.
"The professional work that you have carried out for me has been outstanding and has given me joy and satisfaction. Your future clients will be fortunate to have your proven skills."
"Good luck and Very Best Wishes"
To Whom It May Concern
"It is with great pleasure that I heartily, and enthusiastically commend Barbara Lewis, if you are looking for a stunning, but realistic oil painting of your horse.
I always do my homework very carefully, regardless of whatever project I am involved in. I decided that I wanted my top performing racehorses, DARCI BRAHMA, and PRINCESS COUP, immortalised in oils. I considered a number of artists, in both NZ and Australia, before commissioning Barbara to undertake this most important task.
During the process I was very impressed with her diligence, and professionalism. She visited both horses on two occasions .. not only taking numerous photographs, but also endeavouring to ensure that she understood not only their personalities, but little nuances, such as their '' colour '' in different circumstances.
Firstly, she produced pencil drawings ... when I was happy with those, she then painted them in oils on small canvases ... then, the full sized paintings.
The results were fantastic - both paintings have ' pride of place ' in the Entry Foyer of my main Taupo home .... in fact, so impressed am I with her work, that I have written to her recently, re the possibilty of painting some of my mares and foals ... I can give no greater endorsement than that ... !!!!
Furthermore, I am aware that her wonderful talent has been recognised by her peers ... having won a number of Awards in the U.S., in recent years."
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