Dion Johnson

As we continue to follow state guidelines and remain closed to the public, we invite you to keep an eye on what our artists are doing during the Pandemic. This week we are featuring LA-based artist Dion Johnson.

1. How are you and where are you?
   I’m very fortunate to be healthy and well. I’m in my studio in Los Angeles, California.
2. What is your routine?
   Breakfast and coffee with my wife Inka. Then we are both teaching online. My teaching is video conferencing from my studio, which is still quite interactive. My drawing and painting students have been making some amazing work. If necessity is the mother of invention, then I think adaptation and discovery seem to fuel creativity. Inka and I tend to go for a morning or evening walk together.
3. Is this a creative time for you, do you find inspiration these days?
   Yes. Spending 8 or 10 hours alone painting on canvases, mixing up colors, and working out ideas, is part of my studio practice. However, painting and art are about sharing experiences, and I very much miss visiting galleries and friends. Vibrant outdoor colors excite me – the people I know and the places I visit become a part of my work. I haven’t forgotten those things, in fact, they are more valuable now than ever. I think that like many artists I continue to find inspiration in our collective human spirit.