Born into an artistic family in Johannesburg in South Africa in 1964, Dylan Lewis began his career as a painter and it was only after his father's tragic death that he turned to sculpture focusing on the 'Big Cats'.
Inspired by the wild animals roaming the landscape, Lewis has sought, through form and texture, to convey the essence of the African veldt and the primeval struggle for survival, of predator and prey, the surface of the sculpture often taking on the textural qualities of landscape. The preparatory drawings from life are anatomically precise and accompanied by detailed notes to which the artist frequently refers throughout the creative process. Each sculpture is then modeled in clay before being cast in bronze employing the ancient cire perdue (lost wax) technique.
However, his bronzes go far beyond the merely representational. They have an elemental quality, the lines and textures not only recreating the vividness, power and sensuality of the creature, but also defining its habitat. The wide open spaces, far from the ravages of mankind, serve as the inspiration for his creativity. His affinity and abiding passion for the wilderness and his dismay at the destruction of the natural habitat has resulted in him donating regularly to the World Wildlife Fund, South Africa. His work features in many private and corporate collections throughout the world.