Great Composers in Watercolor

Book excerpt: In Great Composers in Watercolor, artist Douglas Lew offers authentic, refreshing, and imaginative portraits of the great composers of seven historical periods. The urge to connect with a famous person's face and his life is a universal desire. Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven are just a few of the many composers Lew highlights in his collection of watercolor paintings, combining a brief history of each musician with a likeness of their face created using minimal brush strokes and inspired colors. With a free flowing, organic, and transparent style, Lew uses the elements of shape, texture, and color to enliven and enrich the rendition. Suitable for a coffee table or as a gift for music and art lovers alike, Great Composers in Watercolor brings to life the faces behind the beautiful music appreciated for centuries. "Doug Lew captures the era and melodic essence of each composer ... each work is a historical gem." -James Riccardo, concert violinist and music director of the Health Sciences Orchestra of the University of Minnesota "Doug's paintings bring these composers to life with the faithfulness all great musicians strive to achieve in performance." -David Herring, bass trombone, Minnesota Orchestra