08/10/2026
This month, our Museum Collection Highlight features the work of Diane Lewis.
Lewis was a renowned 20th-century porcelain artist, famous for making botanically accurate flower sculptures. Plan a trip to the museum soon to see these incredible works in person!
Slide 1: Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum Collection Highlight: Diane Lewis
Slide 2: Diane Lewis was a renowned porcelain artist in the 20th century. Famous for making botanically accurate sculptures of flowers, Lewis’s creations are highly esteemed for their careful attention to detail and delicacy.
Slide 3: Her career began in 1953 when she worked as a trainee flower maker for Royal Worchester. Lewis apprenticed under Dorothy Doughty.
Slide 4: In 1971, Lewis became one of four founding members of Boehm of Malvern, where she worked as Chief Floral Designer.
Slide 5: In 1979, Lewis founded her own manufactory, Connoisseur of Malvern.
Slide 6: The American Wildflower Collection was created by Lewis in cooperation with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and former First Lady Johnson. This limited edition run of fine bone china captured a variety of American wildflowers.
Slide 7: The careful attention to realism in the delicacy of the petals, the strength of the stems and leaves, and the vibrancy of the flowers reflects Lewis’s masterful skill.
Slide 8: Lewis’s son, Martin Lewis, once recalled sitting in the office of the Director of the National Wildflower Research Center with a sculpture of a Texas bluebonnet, when a bee flew through the window and attempted to pollinate its porcelain flowers. The director said to Lewis, “Well, a greater mind than mine has now approved this piece.”
Slide 9: In 1994, Lewis created the Rose Garden Collection in association with the United States Botanic Garden. It features a memorial centerpiece honoring Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and six single roses honoring other U.S. First Ladies.
Slide 10: Diane created exceptional sculptures that are prized for their fragile elegance and detail. Many of her pieces have been presented to famous dignitaries. The Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum is pleased to have many of her sculptures in our collection.
