Geoffrey Johnson is always searching for his next wave of inspiration. “The works are a continuation of me trying to paint the places and things that interest me, whether it be a room with a certain light, objects I like, a certain piece of architecture,” the North Carolina artist says. His oil paintings vary in style and subject matter. His cityscapes are marked by a monochromatic color palette and silhouetted figures, an aesthetic he explains comes from a place of attempting to seize the feeling of a city. “When I started painting urban scenes, it was how I saw the city. I just didn’t see it in color,” he says. “I’ve always loved high contrast paintings and photos.” On the other hand, his interior scenes often contain brighter hues and a wider palette. These pieces still embody a sense of subtlety, however, somewhat of a signature element in Johnson’s art.
Untitled 95, oil on board, 24 x 36"
Johnson describes his work as impressionist, more than anything else. He explains that early on in his career, he painted in a very photorealistic manner, gradually loosening up as he progressed. “I was kind of pushed out of the nest,” he says. He recounts the story of his first painting professor, who looked at one of his first photorealistic paintings and told him to throw it out, essentially saying, “Okay, now you know that you are able to do that. Move on and try something different.” Johnson says his early career was a time to experiment, and this was the moment that ignited that adventurous spirit. While watercolors were also his medium of choice at the time, he soon realized the freedom and variation that could be achieved in mastering oil paint, and he hasn’t looked back since.
2 Paintings, oil on board, 20 x 16"
In his oil Below Villa Borghese, the eye is led down a narrow walkway populated by indistinct, shadowed figures making their way through the city. The sepia-toned painting is simple in its neutral aesthetic—whites, browns, yellows and blacks—yet it captures the quiet moments of a small side street that may be hidden in plain sight amidst the rush of a big city. As with many of his cityscapes, they evoke a sense of isolation, of loneliness, ironically magnified by the dense population of a vast urban area. In 3 Horses 3 People, the element of abstraction is taken a step further, depicting only the most essential forms of each figure. The meaning behind the painting and the feelings it evokes is an experience entirely unique to each viewer.
3 Horses 3 People, oil on board, 14 x 11"
Below Villa Borghese, oil on board, 20 x 16"
“I really appreciate realism and I appreciate the skill, but for me, I can’t imagine painting that way now. Paintings can lose life pretty quickly,” says Johnson.
So, in Johnson’s eyes, what gives a painting life? “It’s something that’s more,” the artist pauses in thought,
“I guess not every detail matters. I’m more interested in capturing a mood. I tend to become bored quickly. I tend to want to put down my thoughts very quickly, what I’m initially feeling.” For Johnson, it’s about chasing the next spark. A great deal of the time, the artist explains, all of the work that comes after that initial spark can feel just a little mundane.
New paintings of the places, scenery and moments in time that have captivated Johnson within the past year are placed together in a solo exhibition at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. An opening reception is scheduled for May 15. —
Geoffrey Johnson
When: Opens May 15, 2020
Where: Principle Gallery, 208 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Information: (703) 739-9326, www.principlegallery.com
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