My paintings explore imagery without narratives; reimagining fleeting moments into a dream-like symbolism of the present. Using found images, I paint them as they’d exist in another world adjacent to spiritual experiences, sometimes shrouding autobiographical themes with an ethereal ambiance. My inspiration oscillates between the vastness of French modernist painting and the contemporary art world. The biggest challenges in my creative process stem from constant reflection and refinement of images and ideas. By using drawing as a method of pictorial journaling I am able to cut-the-fat and play with different states of the work in progress, gradually building up the paint to usher in new dimensions within the work.
My aim is for viewers to contemplate a shared experience of the otherworldly qualities of painting using my own pictures to inspire introspection and ignite a new sense of visual energy to the Here & Now; connecting with viewers 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