Paul Lewis describes himself as a multimedia artist who also loves to paint.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 nowhere near Robert BatemanB次元官网网址檚 realistic wildlife and nature paintings but I know my stuff looks like a photograph. ItB次元官网网址檚 pretty good.B次元官网网址�

Seven years ago, he traded his canvas paint brushes for drills and screws, creating art from driftwood B次元官网网址� his new favourite medium.

Lewis stumbled upon in 2018 while walking around Esquimalt Lagoon. There, he saw the McGnarly the Beach Ent sculpture by fellow artist Alex Witcombe.

That chance encounter with McGnarly inspired him to create his very first sculpture using his brotherB次元官网网址檚 drill along with a big box of screws B次元官网网址� an experience that taught him a couple of lessons in his newfound craft.

B次元官网网址淚 made my first sculpture in March 2018 B次元官网网址� the bald eagle. I remember going down and collecting shells on the other end of Colwood waterfront because I had this big thing about shells, but for every single one that I drilled through, I must have snapped 10. It was just so frustrating B次元官网网址� everybody loved it, but it was garbage.B次元官网网址�

He vowed never to use shells again.

Lewis also learned to build his stuff on top of the highest king tide B次元官网网址� in the safe zone to protect his work from being destroyed by water, a lesson he learned from Witcombe.

B次元官网网址淚 built the bald eagle down on the beach and the tide destroyed it. I was picking up pieces for over about a month.B次元官网网址�

His work has evolved since then.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e learned over the years how to make my sculptures more lifelike and thatB次元官网网址檚 been a journey in itself.B次元官网网址�

To date, heB次元官网网址檚 made over 200 pieces of driftwood sculptures, 16 of which are currently displayed along the waterfront: ravens, Canadian geese, eagles, a trumpeter swan, raccoons, squirrel, belted kingfisher, grey squirrel, barred owl and a snowy owl.

All of the animals he has created, with the exception of five Sasquatches, are usually seen around the Esquimalt Lagoon, in Colwood, outside Victoria.

He spends roughly three days creating each piece of art. Of all his creations, EaglesB次元官网网址� Nest,by the golf course at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre is his favourite.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my son, BraedonB次元官网网址檚 memorial piece. He passed away a couple of years ago. The baby eagle has my sonB次元官网网址檚 ashes in it. Mommy eagle, which represents Delaney, my ex, is on a big salmon in the nest. And Daddy eagle, heB次元官网网址檚 got a 7-foot long wingspan and heB次元官网网址檚 flying through the trees B次元官网网址� that represents me.B次元官网网址�

Lewis says B次元官网网址楨aglesB次元官网网址� NestB次元官网网址� is a work in progress. HeB次元官网网址檚 adding two more eagles B次元官网网址� one for BraedonB次元官网网址檚 older brother, Jordan, and another one for his mother who helped raise his son when he was away.

Among the projects planned for this year are a cougar perched atop a tree and gazing down at a mother black bear.

B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 paint it, so itB次元官网网址檒l be brown, hanging onto a tree with three little babies climbing up the tree.B次元官网网址�

On sunny days, Lewis drives down to Ocean Boulevard where he sets up his workshop table on the waterfront.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of times people donB次元官网网址檛 know me when IB次元官网网址檓 down here. TheyB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址極h my God, have you seen these?B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 just like, yeah IB次元官网网址檝e seen them and then I go, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 actually the artistB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� like, what?B次元官网网址�

This is exactly the reason why he loves doing what he does.

B次元官网网址淛ust making people happy, to me, is the biggest thing. It really is.B次元官网网址�

View Paul LewisB次元官网网址檚 pieces at .

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