DAVID EDWARD JOHNSON ART

SERIES IN PROGRESS: TIMBRE

For this ongoing series, I am charting new territory. It explores identity through improvisation. It’s an attempt to express the ID, the primal creative sense, blending form, color, contrast and movement to reveal the intangible. For a listen to my musical mindset for this work, turn up Steven Wilson’s genius improv turn in “No Twilight Within the Courts of the Sun.”

Timbre 812

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Timbre 711

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Timbre 929

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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SERIES: ALPHANUMERIC: SEMIOSIS

For this series, I further explored the themes touched upon in the “Alphanumeric” canvases. Themes of bringing together the designer and the artist in me… The dichotomy of my two creative sides, in unity and the third layer of meaning and energy that unity brings. It’s an embodiment of the idea of “SEMIOSIS,” the process of imbuing language with meaning. The interplay of the letterforms with the deep space of color, movement and shape drives this concept home. For a listen to my musical mindset for this work, turn up the sounds of the great Thomas Fonnesbaek and Justin Kauflin colab on the very apropos “Semiosis.”

Alphanumeric: Semiosis 58Y

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

SOLD

Alphanumeric: Semiosis 75R

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric: Semiosis 73S4

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric: Semiosis QG

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric: Semiosis C29

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric: Semiosis 4HE

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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SERIES: ALPHANUMERIC

This series unites the two sides of my artistic heart — the fine artist and the designer. A grid of color and line define the compositions, suggesting landscapes or architectural shapes. That grid is both broken and underscored by gestural flourish, building texture and emotion. Hand-painted characters suggest additional meaning. For a peek at my musical mindset for this work, turn up the legendary Redman, Mehldau, McBride and Blade colab on “Right Back Round Again.”

Alphanumeric 9

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric E4

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

SOLD

Alphanumeric 6B7

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric 2

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

SOLD

Alphanumeric P3J

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Alphanumeric N3

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric 4X

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric 5

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Alphanumeric 8

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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SERIES: CURRENTS

I wanted to take another step with the work I started with the “ECHOES” series, exploring further the concept of “letting go.” With these, I was playing with organic flow. This was also my attempt to address the COVID pandemic as it surges to ever-higher numbers here in Texas, where I live and work as an artist. Colors, like life and loss, swirl over the canvas surface, finding new ways to flourish. For a view into my musical mindset for this work, give a listen to Noel Harrison performing Michel Legrand and Alan Bergman’s swirling classic The Windmills of Your Mind .

Currents 766

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

SOLD

Currents 446

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Currents 883

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Currents 126

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Currents 324

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

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Currents 109

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
30″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: ECHOES

This is about overcoming the urge to control. The canvases reveal themselves to the viewer through layer upon layer of color, line and gesture. The process worked the same way. It gives them an ethereal and airy, yet dynamic and active quality. I love these for what they taught me as they unfolded. For a peek at my musical frame of mind for this work, give a listen to the drop-dead gorgeous “Lonely as a Mother” from Haley.

Echoes 295

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Echoes 330

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Echoes 992

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Echoes 777

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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Echoes 828

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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SERIES: MAPS FOR THE MEN OF FUTURE CITIES

Structure and layout is the basis for this series. Major linear notes create the central “bones” for each canvas. Gestural lines then break that grid, creating the beginnings of rhythm. That sense is then underscored with bold color fields, suggesting the political, socioeconomic and tribal lines of undiscovered cities. For a look at my musical mindset for this work, give a listen to “Parsec” from the legendary French retro-futurists Stereolab.

Maps for the Men of Future Cities 377

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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Maps for the Men of Future Cities 601

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Maps for the Men of Future Cities 884

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Maps for the Men of Future Cities 149

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Maps for the Men of Future Cities 823

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: ARCHITECTONICS

With “Architectonics,” I am exploring the dance between shape, line and gesture. Lines control, forming boundaries and giving structure. Shapes both underscore and slyly skirt that structure. Gesture breaks it, driving and destroying with exuberance. Color and a strong sense of movement form the world that contains this swaying gambol and unites each composition. For a look at my musical mindset for this work and an aural expression of my process, give a listen to “how do you sleep” from juggernaut explorers artist LCD Soundsystem.

Architectonics 382

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
18″ x 24″

SOLD

Architectonics 746

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
18″ x 24″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Architectonics 826

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
18″ x 24″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Architectonics 934

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
18″ x 24″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

Architectonics 402

Acrylic, Graphite, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
18″ x 24″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: THE FOUR ETHERS

The four ethers are: WARMTH (Fire) — Creation and drive, LIGHT (Air) — Illumination and definition, CHEMICAL (Water) — Proportion and harmony, and VITAL (Earth) — Integration and Life. With this series, I’m exploring the nature of each. Except for the large sprayed silver field, I am not using masking on my hard-edged shapes on these canvases, instead relying on hand-painting technique. The interplay of bold, clearly-defined shapes, gestural sweeps of color and overall composition really brings a strong sense of balance and movement. For a peek at my musical mindset for this work, give a listen to “After Bach: Flux” from the great Brad Mehldau.

The Four Ethers :: CHEMICAL

Acrylic, Spray, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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The Four Ethers :: VITAL

Acrylic, Spray, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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The Four Ethers :: WARMTH

Acrylic, Spray, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

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The Four Ethers :: LIGHT

Acrylic, Spray, Household, and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 30″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: THE RATIONAL AND THE MIST

The exchange between the linear and the gestural, so much a part of my work, is here again, but the juxtaposition is made greater through broader, softer color fields and sharper, more precise middle ground shapes topped by sculptural shocks of color and sweeping strokes. I am not using masking on my hard-edged shapes on these, instead relying on hand-painting technique. This brings a range of experiences when viewing the canvases at different ranges and underscores the interplay at the center of this work. Color is a significant part of this exploration as well. A rich mixture of high contrast colors and closely related color values brings further revelation on each viewing. For a glimpse of my musical mindset for this work, give a listen to “Philip Glass: Etude No. 2” as played by Sally Whitwell.

The Rational and The Mist 399

Acrylic, Spray, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

The Rational and The Mist 419

Acrylic, Spray, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

The Rational and The Mist 994

Acrylic, Spray, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

SOLD

The Rational and The Mist 901

Acrylic, Spray, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: N’AS-TU JAMAIS VU LA PLUIE?

The exchange between the linear and the gestural, so much a part of my work, is here again, but the juxtaposition is made greater through broader, softer color fields and sharper, more precise middle ground shapes topped by sculptural shocks of color and sweeping strokes. I am not using masking on my hard-edged shapes on these, instead relying on hand-painting technique. This brings a range of experiences when viewing the canvases at different ranges and underscores the interplay at the center of this work. Color is a significant part of this exploration as well. A rich mixture of high contrast colors and closely related color values brings further revelation on each viewing. For a glimpse of my musical mindset for this work, give a listen to “Certain Cells” from Kris Davis.

N’as-tu Jamais Vu la Pluie? 201

Acrylic, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

SOLD

N’as-tu Jamais Vu la Pluie? 720

Acrylic, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

N’as-tu Jamais Vu la Pluie? 229

Acrylic, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

N’as-tu Jamais Vu la Pluie? 133

Acrylic, Household, Chalk and Crayon on Canvas
24″ x 36″

Available • Contact The Artist for Pricing and Information

SERIES: HARD BOP

A series exploring movement and rhythm. These canvases focus on the interplay of color, texture and sculptural qualities. Central thematics root improvisational flair here. For a musical companion to this work, give a listen to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers early-60s’ “Crisis.”