 |
“The sense of excitement
and awe that I derive from time spent observing and photographing
nature is what I try to impart in every painting. My goal is
to paint a portrait of an individual animal or place and share
with the viewer a unique moment in our natural world." |
Born
near St. Louis, Missouri, Becky Johnson spent her childhood traveling
extensively with her military family. From her earliest years,
drawing has been her primary creative outlet, and after moving
to Colorado in l972, she began to pursue painting as a full-time
career.
Becky’s
distinctive style in the dry medium of pastel is self-taught.
After an early focus on painting wildlife, landscape has become
her primary subject in recent years. Photos often provide reference
for new studio work, and in 2005 an opportunity to paint “en
plein air” added another exciting element to her landscape
painting. She is especially intrigued by light and often chooses
to light a scene with early morning or late afternoon sun.
Becky
participates in juried and invitational exhibits and her work
has received numerous regional and national awards. Her paintings
are included in collections throughout the United States and
overseas and are available in number of self-published reproductions.
She
is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, the Pastel
Society of the West Coast, and the Pikes Peak Pastel Society.
"Pastel is a challenging medium
in which to work. It’s a little like painting with pure
pigment. There are no brushes or palettes or thinners; the colors
are applied and mixed directly on the paper surface, which allows
for an unequalled spontaneity and brilliance. I work on a variety
of paper textures and colors, which also affects the finished
painting. It is a long-lasting medium that with proper framing
and care will retain its luminous qualities for generations."
Recent
awards:
2022 President's
Award, Arizona Pastel Artists Association 2022 International
Exhibition
and Sale
at the Phippen Art Museum
2021 Terry Ludwig Award, Pastel Society of Colorado Mile
High Exhibition
2020 Accepted Painting, IAPS 37th Juried Exhibition
2020 Accepted Painting, Pastel Society of America’s
Annual Enduring Brilliance Exhibit
2020 Sponsor’s Award, Pastel Society of Southern California
International Exhibit
2019 and 2016 Accepted Painting, Pastel Society of America’s
Annual Enduring Brilliance
Exhibit
New York, also included with 20 paintings from the PSA 44th Annual
Exhibition
which hung
at the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
2019 Accepted Painting, IAPS Juried Exhibition, 2019 Convention
Show
2019 First Place, Pastel Society of Colorado’s Small
Works Show
2019 Honorable Mention, Pastel Society of Colorado’s
Mile High National show
2018 Third Place, Art of the Pastel, Pastel Society of Southeast
Texas
2018 Sponsor’s Award, Arizona Pastel Artists Association
2018 Open Juried Exhibition
2017 Artist’s Choice, Windows to the West Invitational
Art Show, Estes Park, Colorado
2017 Accepted painting, IAPS 30th Juried Exhibition, 2017
Convention Show
2017 First Place, Two Dimensional, Art Fair at Queeny Park,
St. Louis, MO
2016 Ruth Richeson Pastel Gold Award, Pastel 100 Competition,
Pastel Journal
2016 Finalist in the Artistic Excellence Competition,
Southwest Art Magazine
2016 Pikes Peak Pastel Society Award and the Glaser Frames
Award,
The Pastel
Society of Colorado’s 2016 Mile High International
2016 Bronze Award, 2016 Great Lakes Pastel Society National
Exhibit
2016 First Prize, General Membership, 2016 Pastel Society
of the West Coast Membership Show
2015 Finalist in the Artistic Excellence Competition,
Southwest Art Magazine
2015 Jack Richeson & Co. Gold Award—29th
Pastels USA, Haggin Museum, Stockton, California
2014 Best of Show 2D—48th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival,
Evergreen, Colorado
2013 Award of Excellence—47th Annual Evergreen Arts
Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2012 Award of Excellence—46th Annual Evergreen Arts
Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2011 Best 2D—Mulvane Art Museum’s Mountain/Plains
Art Fair, Topeka, Kansas
2010 First Place 2D—44th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival,
Evergreen, Colorado
2010 Second Prize, Animals and Wildlife Category, Pastel
100, The Pastel Journal
2009 First Place 2D—43rd Annual Evergreen Arts Festival,
Evergreen, Colorado
2009 People’s Choice—Douglas Invitational Art
Show, Douglas, Wyoming
2009 Best Framing Award—American Plains Artists 25th
Anniversary Art Show, Odessa, Texas
2008 Award of Excellence—Mosaics, Missouri Festival
of the Arts, St. Charles, Missouri
2008 Publisher’s Award—Art of the West, American
Plains Artists 24th Annual Juried Exhibit and
Sale, Midland,
Texas
2008 First Place Drawing/Pastels—Castle Rock ArtFest,
Castle Rock, Colorado
2008 Best of Show 2D—Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen,
Colorado
2007 Juror’s Award—Castle Rock ArtFest, Castle
Rock, Colorado
2007 Best of Show/First Place—26th Annual Fine Art
Fair and Wine Fest, Washington, Missouri
2006 First Place-Professional—Victor Celebrates the
Arts Plein Air Competition, Victor, Colorado
2005 Best of Show-Landscape—Operation Wildlife Art
Show, Overland Park, Kansas
2005 Best of Show-Fine Art—Evergreen Arts Festival,
Evergreen, Colorado
2005 Best of Fine Art—Castle Rock ArtFest, Castle
Rock, Colorado
2004 Best of Show—Arts for All, Lawton, Oklahoma
Museum
Collections:
- The
pastel paintings Lookout-Hummingbird and Coming Rain are included
in the permanent collection of the Mulvane Art Museum, Topeka,
Kansas.
- The pastel painting Prairie Evening is including in the permanent
collection of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.
- The pastel painting River Sunset was part of the Art in Embassies
Program.
- Two pastel paintings were featured in articles in the January/February
1993 and March/April 1993 issues of Wildlife Art News magazine.
|
