Kenneth G. Lewis, Ph.D., with his painting entitled “Little Joe Escaping from the Zoo.”

Kenneth G. Lewis, Ph.D., of Dunmore, is the Dunmore Activity Hub Artist of the Month for July. Lewis, who started painting when he first started school, has found his artistic inspiration from real life. He initially began painting with the Senior Citizen group at their Chestnut Street location for about a year, then moved over to the present location at the Dunmore Community Center.

His featured painting is entitled “Little Joe Escaping from the Zoo.” As background, Ken explains, “In approximately 2003, a zoo in a small town near Boston purchased a gorilla from the Bronx Zoo in New York City. The gorilla was about 15 years old, larger than normal, very curious, and extremely energetic. He was named ‘Little Joe.’”

One morning Dr. Lewis was watching a nationwide news program and heard the newscaster say that a gorilla had escaped from a zoo in Massachusetts, and a short time later was spotted at the bus stop about two miles away.

“The zoo employees quickly captured Little Joe and stood with him as he watched the commotion on the bus,” Ken explains. “The passengers were concerned because the gorilla had tried to board the bus. It was announced later than Little Joe escaped a second time, going to the same bus stop, and so the zoo made the fence higher!”

Dr. Lewis described the painting class as a good group of people, and adds, “We are fortunate to have a facility like the Dunmore Activity Hub. We have a large parking lot, the building is big enough for several groups to use at the same time, the kitchen is well-equipped, the location is convenient, and we have adequate storage space for our paints, canvases and equipment.”