Aaron Johnson Moscow, ID

Aaron Johnson is an Idaho native who is passionate about the outdoors. He received his Bachelors of Fine Art from Pacific College of Art in Portland, Oregon in 2005, and in 2011 earned a Masters of Fine Art from the University of Idaho. He currently works as an Assistant Professor for the University of Idaho College of Art and Architecture and Art and Design.

The primary focus of his work revolves around Plein-air painting (painting on site, out of doors). He is actively involved in Plein-air events on a regional and national level. His work of the Palouse was featured in Plein-air magazine.

Artist Statement

“I am searching for the sensation of the subject. I am interested in finding an authentic experience through the act of creation. My work involves physical interaction and passion for the subject. The paintings I create are the result of time, searching for just eh right cloud formations, watching the colors, and experience what it means to be in an environment. Through theses experiences I use color, brushstrokes, drawing, and texture to express the lay of the land and its effects on me.

As an avid outdoorsman and passionate painter I hope to use my work to heighten our awareness of the significance of our surroundings, such as the way a cloud floats across the sky, how a dead tree’s branches pierce the sky, or the brilliant complementary colors of fall. Each painting is the culmination of absorbing, listening, feeling, and observing my surroundings.”