Paul Lewis was born in Manhattan, Kansas and was raised in a small, nearby town. When he was 14, his family moved to Topeka, Kansas, where he attended high school. As a high school student, Paul had two experiences that would shape his career. One was taking classes from highly-talented art teachers; the other was participating in an outstanding theater program.

During the summers, he was hired by a sculptor, who was setting up a small bronze casting foundry. Paul's job included all aspects of foundry work, which sparked a life-long interest in sculpture.

After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. After a tour in Vietnam, Paul was accepted at the University of Kansas where he majored in Theater Design. He also studied drawing, painting, sculpture, as well as two and three dimensional design and photography.

In 1974 he received his BFA in Theater Design, with a minor in Design. Shortly afterwards, Paul moved to Santa Fe, NM, where he designed sets, lights, props and costumes for local theatrical productions. He served as lighting designer and technician for a ballet company and was later employed as technical director at the Armory for the Arts.

Between theater jobs, Paul worked at a local bronze casting foundry. This was the start of a long career in the bronze casting business. Taking advantage of the opportunity to cast his own pieces, Paul began making bronze sculpture. He later worked at other bronze foundries, where he learned the entire process. This greatly facilitated his own work. He subsequently began showing his bronzes at galleries throughout the country

In 1985, Paul established Paul A. Lewis Designs -- a “one-man foundry” that has continued up to the present His customers consist of other sculptors, who bring him their original pieces, from which he produces finished patinaed bronzes.

Paul is currently employed as a patina master at Allan Houser Foundry He continues to produce his own bronze sculpture, which he shows primarily at the Thomas Moxley Gallery in Santa Fe. Paul is married and has one son.