Why do you make art?
Its definitely a thing to do. I get all anxious when I don't work on things for a while so eventually I just hit the drawing board.
What inspires you?
People mostly.
How would you describe your art?
I make paintings and drawings primarily.
What is your most important artist tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
Pencils and paper.
Can you tell me about your relationship with your work?
Its like a diary but not in an especially personal way, I work from photographs a lot and I take a lot of pictures on my phone. Sometimes making work is as easy as just being in the right place at the right time and sometimes I try to construct images more self consciously. I think working from imagination and drawing is more in tune with how we think and painting from images ends up being more about seeing and looking and Im always trying to consolidate those two ways of thinking about work on paper or canvas. But in terms of how I find images or approach subject matter I haven't totally figured that out myself. Though I often end up thinking about and returning to a lot of the same themes.
Name a couple of things that makes you happy?
people, art, food, sunshine, music, painting.
From your paintings, theres several portraits, how you choose models for your paintings?
I am lucky enough to have friends who will pose for a picture. Its usually a right place right time thing, but I like painting people I know. Its like fan art for your friends.
For more of Johnson: brandonelijahjohnson.com