Brett Allen Johnson is known for his paintings of the Southwest, but look closer at the landscapes and they reveal the extent of his travels all around the United States. Yes, there are images of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, but then also Nevada, California and, in a recent exploration, South Dakota.
The Sophists, oil, 9 x 20 in.
On September 18, Johnson will share works from these destinations and others in the show New Small Paintings, at Maxwell Alexander Gallery. The show, which will likely include 10 new works, will be held online on Maxwell Alexander’s website.
Asked about the difficulty, or ease, of making small works, Johnson admits that each piece is different. “Small ones can be a challenge, but so can big ones, and then it can go the other way too where they just flow out of you,” he says. “Mostly I find small works to be liberating because it can go in so many different directions, including with composition and technique.”
The Light Hills, oil, 15 x 15 in.
Johnson says he’s been trying some new techniques lately, and the small works have allowed him to explore this new process. The tweak to his technique mostly involves the subtle use of texture. “I want to use simple forms, but for them to have a sharp clarity. They aren’t posterized, and they aren’t graphic, but it’s a very subtle shift in another direction,” he says. “Another part of it is that I’m doing a grisaille underpainting. So I’m drawing the composition on the surface and then painting over it in a solid opaque pigment. Then I’m adding full-bodied paint over that. It really allows me to get the design done before moving onto color and texture.”
One piece that shows this new process well is The Light Hills,which originated from Death Valley, California. “I went there last summer and I was really just looking for the quiet corners in that strange place. It was beautiful but also geologically chaotic. It was hard to find my subjects. It has some truly unexpected places, I just had to find them,” he says.
Cut Bank, Badlands, oil, 18 x 22 in.
In another work, The Sophists, Johnson paints the landscape, but the elements are abstracted shapes: a knobby range of peaks (in small, medium and large), sagebrush in nearly perfect circles and a clay embankment that is shaped like a narrow wedge or ramp. Assembled together, the pieces are representative of the Southwest, but on their own they represent the purest of form. So well balanced and delicate is the composition, that even the smallest movement would send the pieces whirling to the floor, like flicking an Alexander Calder mobile.
The Warmth of Evening, oil, 12 x 12 in.
Other works in the show reflect Johnson’s recent appreciation of Native American architecture, as seen in The Warmth of the Evening; and his recent trip to South Dakota, where he was inspired to paint Cut Back, Badlands, a place he vows to visit more to get more painting reference. “I can’t wait to get back,” he says. “It’s incredible country.” —
Maxwell Alexander Gallery (213) 275-1060 » www.maxwellalexandergallery.com
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