Johnson, Kevin, (Sophisticated)

"Sophisticated" by Kevin Johnson 24 x 30 inches, oil painting on gallery wrap canvas (2022) -- unframed Kevin Johnson is a Colorado-based painter, concept artist, graphic designer, sculptor, and animator known for his striking employment of vibrant colors and depictions of everyday people progressing, evolving through life. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Johnson pulls his images from childhood memories, life experiences, and his active imagination, with friends and family inspiring several works. Primarily working in acrylic but known to “dive into oil paint from time to time,” Johnson paints positive figures and images, ones that leave us hopeful, enchanted, inspired.  “I love using bright colors and painting images of people and how they move through life. It’s amazing, to me, how we can change from day to day.”  A retired 21-year member of the U.S. Army who actively served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Johnson graduated with a B.S. in computer animation from Full Sail University before returning to school to study media design. Mentored by contemporary figurative artist, LaShun Beal, Johnson also studied under world-renowned fine artist and illustrator, Thomas Blackshear, for seven years. His gallery appearances include shows at Colorado’s Southwinds Fine Art Gallery, G44 Gallery, Bella Art Gallery, and the Beauty of Blackness Fine Art Show. In late February 2021, Johnson’s art was included in the historic reopening of the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) as part of the exhibition,  Fresh and Contemporary: Moving Forward.   Johnson, whose work has been purchased by the likes of celebrity collector and former NBA baller, Grant Hill, lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and six children.