Jessica Johnson is a contemporary landscape oil painter born in San Francisco and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Passionate about the outdoors since her earliest backpacking trip at just 3 years old, Jessica works to capture and communicate the inspiring beauty of the landscapes that surround her home and permeate her adventures. Expressive brushstrokes and color convey movement intertwined with emotion in her work, evoking feelings of deep connection to the landscapes she immerses us in. She loves using vibrant color and rich shadows to convey wonder, joy, playfulness, and reverence through her art.
Artist Statement:
Freedom for me meant going outside to escape the chaos and emotional turmoil of growing up in an alcoholic home, exploring the woods around us in rural northern California, and feeling a sense of safety and spirituality in nature that sunk deep into my bones.
My artistic journey has felt like a gradual unbinding from inner constriction, reclamation of my power and granting my spirit this freedom of expression through creating. I try to let myself be free on the canvas… to transmute the beauty and healing I experience in nature while simultaneously connecting to my inner world. Through painting, I have been reconnecting to my child self - her joy, her natural confidence, the one who loved the juiciness of life. I am so amazed and grateful for the transformational beauty this journey has brought forth from dark places. I wish that kind of freedom for everyone.
My paintings often evoke wonder and playfulness with light colorful elements amidst darker backgrounds of rich textures and shadows. I believe that our lives contain the full spectrum of emotions and the rich colors and textures of my paintings mirror that truth. Through my work, I hope to inspire a deeper connection both to the vibrant life force running through all beings and to the Earth we walk upon, invoking care and reverence for both.
