Lisa Johnson, Canadian Painter

Dark Waters, Bon Echo, (at left) was one of the pieces on display
at the recent Bon Echo Art Show.  This show was a wonderful chance to meet  fellow artists and people who share a passion for this incredible place.

I was quite suprised and delighted to sell a good amount of work at the show. This was at a time when I was beginning to wonder if I should continue my quest to paint a subject matter that has been done so much already!  But it was really great to hear from people who are long-time Bon Echo fanatics, that my work says something meaningful and unique about "the rock". My goal has always been to try to capture the spirit of that magical place and I am guessing this will continue to be a lifelong pursuit. 

I also had a chance to talk to Bon Echo friends about the idea my sister Brooke & I had envisioned of a Bon Echo Cultural Festival -- theater, film, music, poetry and so on.  I'll give you one tidbit of this concept:   carrying out Merrill Denison's vision of classical music on a boat echoing off of the rock --just imagine! -- as well as original theatre in the ampitheatre.  We're in the initial brainstorming stage but are interested in hearing from anyone who might have some interest and/or expertise in seeing this come to fruition! 

All in all a wonderful the Bon Echo Art Exhibition was a great opportunity to show paintings, develop new ideas and make connections with interesting people.  I'll definitely do it again next year. 

This was a great opening reception with live music by Adrian Hogan. Nice to meet and chat with fellow artists.

Project Gallery has such a nice youthful vibe; it spurs me on to try new approaches!  I'm really looking forward to my solo show here in a month's time.  They have been very helpful in deciding the nature of the show. I'm excited that I can show both the large abstracts in the main room and small plein air sketches in the upstairs room. I will also probably have drawings and maybe even some photographs to help 'tell the story' of how the paintings came to be.   I'm glad they have encouraged this approach -- allowing me to show a range of what I do rather than be pidgeon-holed into a narrow "brand".  I like the idea that it won't just be sterile art on the wall, but the viewer will be able to learn more about the work, what inspired it and how it evolved.  I'm even going to have some kind of experimental video on an ipad that they have mounted on the gallery wall -- this will have digital media with a soundtrack I created in a sound workshop I did recently.  A license to experiment -- I love it! 

Some shots from the opening reception are below. Interesting to talk to Cortney Stephenson, pictured here with her lovely encaustics.  She has also created a site called "My Mother's Basement Gallery" which is an online exhibition space that she curates at no charge to the participating artist. Very cool. 

Here are a couple of my small oils that are part of the Future Landscape show at PROJECT GALLERY till April 1st.

Project Gallery 1109 Queen St E. Toronto ON

Awakenings: An exhibition, highlighting new works be Barry Dicks SCA, John Stuart Pryce OSA IPAP, Don Cavin, Lisa Johnson AOCAD, and Bonnie Brooks CSPWC. In the Upper Gallery. Runs to March 30th. 

This is my gallery usually for the plein air paintings I do of Bon Echo and Mazinaw Lake, but they decided to put on a show of five artists in the upstairs gallery so I was able to put in some of the larger works. Too bad the weather has been anything but springlike!  Hard to get people to go for a drive in the country when it is minus 20! Hopefully it will warm up a bit and more art lovers will get out to see the show.  A very ambitious small town gallery with some lovely historic works including Doris McCarthy and Jean McEwan.