Those familiar with Geoffrey Johnson’s work likely think of urban landscapes populated by inky figures and trailing shadows that bleed into the wet streets, and architectural elements obscured to varying degrees by the misty atmosphere.
But Johnson’s other favorite subject matter is more-realistically rendered, playfully askew interiors in color palettes that are downright cheerful in comparison to his watery city scenes.
Untitled 150, oil on board, 34 x 44"
“I love architecture, especially old houses,” says Johnson. “I love their mood, the lighting, the way the moldings frame a space…My process, technically, is the same. I just feel the interiors call for a little more realism. The urban landscapes are usually from memory and just what I see in my mind’s eye. Therefore, they can be more abstract or impressionistic, although not always.”
Dabbed with pastel accents, Gilded AgeI depicts an inviting parlor room that begged to be painted, a mood waiting to be captured, the inanimate objects dancing on the canvas in such a way that, although devoid of people, fill the room with warmth.
Gilded Age I, oil on board, 24 x 18"
Untitled 150 and Saturday Market Winter are New York City scenes. In the former, the figures in the foreground are stark blotches, while those in the distance increasingly dissolve into the mist. Johnson has provided just enough detail—a barely discernible skyline and the suggestion of lampposts—to make out the scene. On the other hand, in the more colorful and detailed Saturday Market Winter, the height of the figures and bottoms of the peaked, white tents define the horizon, above which rise blocky urban buildings.
Johnson has never lived in New York but has spent a great deal of time there since he was a child. “The is no place like it on earth,” says Johnson. “New York City has endless inspiration in architecture, people, places, seasons…The shadows and the way the light comes through the buildings never gets old. The blues in the sky at twilight against the lights of the city are like no place else.”
His lithe figures are, in part, inspired by his admiration of Giacometti’s exaggerated depictions of the human form. “If you look at a figure with shadow, they really do look like that in certain light,” Johnson says. “I guess my practice of including figures with architecture makes both more relatable…I hope the viewer can put themselves in the scene.”
Saturday Market Winter, oil on board, 34 x 44"
Although not a common occurance for the widely collected artist, Johnson can still be happy with a piece even if it never sells. “I am satisfied if I can get on canvas or board what I’m seeing in my head,” he says. “When someone else enjoys it—well, that is the ultimate satisfaction.”
Johnson’s show opens with a reception on November 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will run until December 4 at Shain Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. —
Shain Gallery 2823 Selwyn Avenue K • Charlotte, NC 28209 • (704) 334-7744 • www.shaingallery.com
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