Russell Johnson

I first discovered that I like to paint at a very young age – around 10 or 12 years old. My first painting is shown here on this site, and my second. It didn’t occur to me to be a professional artist at that time because I didn’t know anyone who was an artist. I liked science and technology, so I became an architect instead. I did try being an professional fine artist in my twenties for a year, with a studio gallery in Minneapolis. I was using an airbrush, with gouache and acrylic paints, a few of which are shown here. Later, as an architect, I used the digital tools from architecture to create works of art in my spare time. When I retired, I started spending time in France, where I go each year now for five months, picked up some brushes and acrylics and started to paint the wonders of the French countryside in the Tarn region. I’ve now exceeded 200 paintings and decided it’s time to put them up for sale. I’ve realized now that they are in the same tradition as the famous impressionists, whose works are now sold for millions. If you love impressionism and can’t afford to spend millions on an original painting, you can spend far less on my impressionist paintings.

I studied art and architecture at the University of Minnesota, taking classes in art history, painting, print making, photography, sculpture, and drawing. I started selling works I created to people passing through, which was encouraging.

I’ve exhibited in Minnesota, California, and in France in the medieval town of Cordes sur Ciel. I prefer to print my digital works on aluminum, but I’m open to other possibilities. My more recent paintings are all done on Belgian linen canvases with Sennelier paints, the finest quality.