My painting process takes a deep-dive into various sources of found imagery; often cropping pictures and reducing the narratives into reimagined, dream-like subjects. Using these found images, I paint them to present more like a spiritual experience, even sometimes using autobiographical themes as subjects. My inspiration oscillates between the vastness of French modernist painting and contemporary culture. The biggest challenges in my creative process stem from constant reflection and refinement of ideas. Using drawing as my potent reduction stage I am offered a meditative understanding (via mark-making) of the image’s compositional forms and I’ve found drawing to be the best method of pictorially journaling my way into the idea before taking it on as a painting.
My aim is to induce and amplify the perception of a spirit within my work; capable of reflecting itself onto the viewer and connecting with them on an individually unique level.
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Heath Johnston
B. 1988 Johnson City, TN
Fort Collins, CO
Exhibitions
2022
Nov. Not Even Home Will Be With You Forever (group) curated by Amanda Barker, Field Projects, New York, NY
Oct. Launch: All Hands on Deck (group fundraiser) Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Aug. Back2School Summer 2k22 Group Exhibition (group) Friend of a Friend Gallery, Denver, CO
May. The Yellow Show (group) Dateline Gallery, Denver, CO
2021
Nov. Cross Pollination (group) Rayback Collective, Boulder, CO
Sept. Launch: All Hands on Deck (group fundraiser) Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
2019
Nov. Colfax Collective 4: All Good Ships are Made of Skin (group) Bellwether Social Club, Denver, CO
Sept. Launch: All Hands on Deck (group fundraiser) New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Aug.-Sept. Formlessness (solo) Downtown Artery, Fort Collins, CO
2018
Sept. Launch: All Hands on Deck (group fundraiser) Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Jul. In-House Artists (group) Downtown Artery, Fort Collins, CO
Studio Residency
2018-2020
Downtown Artery, Fort Collins, CO