“The Atomic Paintings” on Artsy

Atomic Painting #7, 2023, acrylic on panel, 48"x48" by Clay Johnson
Atomic Painting #7, 2023, acrylic on panel, 48″x48″

Mark Moore Fine Art presents “Clay Johnson: The Atomic Paintings,” an online exhibition in partnership with Artsy. This show opened October 18 and will continue through January 14, 2024. The exhibition includes 10 new paintings, the first of this new Atomic Series. View them at Artsy.

“From All Angles” at Havu Gallery

Gallerist Bill Havu celebrates fifty years in the art business with a group exhibition—From All Angles—that features the work of fifty diverse artists. Bill has been a pillar of the Colorado arts community since getting his start in Aspen in 1973. Today his Denver gallery consistently mounts exhibitions of some of the finest contemporary work in the area. 

This show will be up from September 8 to October 21.

Monkey Man, 2021, acrylic on aluminum panel, 72" x 60" by Clay Johnson

Monkey Man, 2021, acrylic on panel, 72″ x 60″

“Spring Selections” at MJFA

Four of my recent works on paper will be featured in “Spring Selections,” a group exhibition at Madelyn Jordon Fine Art in Scarsdale, New York. The show runs from May 24 to June 30.

Untitled (#721), 2023, acrylic on paper, 20" x 16" by Clay Johnson
Untitled (#727), 2023, acrylic on paper, 20" x 16" by Clay Johnson
Untitled (#726), 2023, acrylic on paper, 20" x 16" by Clay Johnson
Untitled (#725), 2023, acrylic on paper, 20" x 16" by Clay Johnson

Experiments in Form

Abstract Sketch, Clay Johnson
Abstract Sketch, Clay Johnson

Lately I’ve been exploring some ideas with regard to form and (at times) representation. I have always been an abstract painter, so on a personal level I have some interest in seeing what would happen if I were to actually represent something—if I were to paint a picture “of something.” What would that something be, and how would I represent it? These initial experiments simply take the first step by creating an object/ground scenario, something that is almost entirely absent in the series that I’ve been working on for the last several years. I would have to say that anything approaching realism is out of the question because for me painting is an exercise in self-expression and improvisation that is not compatible with the obligation to make things look “correct.” Even representing objects in any sense at all may prove more restrictive than I can abide, but for now it’s interesting to see what develops. So far I’ve found that I’m drawn to images (shapes) that are not recognizable as things that I see around me, but which convey certain familiar attitudes and are subject to the natural forces (laws of physics) that govern elements in the physical world.

Three Sketches

Sketch #1, by Clay Johnson
Sketch #2, by Clay Johnson
Sketch #3, by Clay Johnson

I’ve made some small painting experiments lately that focus more on the materiality of paint and less on the geometric compositional structure that I’ve used for the last several years. The result is a looser, freer feeling that really appeals to me. Where this is headed I can’t say for sure, but for now it’s a matter of finding the right balance between structure and chaos.