Brian M. Johnston

Impressionist artist

B. M. Johnston (1946-2019) North American Impressionist artist. Born in Miami, Florida. When asked how long he has been painting, he replies, “forever.” In fact, painting and drawing were his choices for expression from the very beginning.  His talent got him through primary school simply because he was better at art than at math or social sciences.  He had developed an interest, if not sufficiently his skills by the age of 15, to have a one man show at the Grove House Gallery in Coconut Grove, Florida.  It was at about this time that he realised that he could make a living with his art, not that at 15 he was able to make any career decisions.  It was not until his thirties that he began to develop his skills, take himself seriously as an artist and actually make a living with his painting. Being self-taught he always took what he admired from other artists and incorporated it into his techniques.  He studied the masters while he was in Europe for a couple of years, mostly the chemistry of their techniques.  His style was developing more and more toward impressionism.  He seems to be most comfortable with the emotion of painting and the total freedom of expression. His production habits developed while in Switzerland working for a studio producing potboilers for the US market.  At that time, it seems to have stuck.  He labels himself as a working artist for his efforts were spent producing works to sell and not spending much time on his curriculum and portfolio. In the U.S. he traveled a lot and “did” art festivals and shows in almost every state and he won a good may of them.  More importantly, his art afforded him the privilege to travel and enjoy the grand adventure; being an artist is an experience not a job. Gallery representation provided him with the means to spend a good deal of his life sailing the Caribbean where his style, technique, and palette evolved into more his own.  He has never been satisfied to remain in the same place on his Art or his life.  Art to him is evolutionary, not revolutionary.   New inspiration for him requires new adventures, like his styles, change, and evolve. In his forties and fifties, he reflects on his career thinking if he had stayed in one place, and with one of the successful styles, he would have obtained a higher degree of fame and fortune. “Na! That’s someone else’s idea of success.”  In fact all of his work has sold and much thanks to all the collectors and admirers of his work for a great life.  He promises to continue till the end and hopes you still enjoy his paintings.