Troy L. Johnson Biography
“Though we are not always aware of it, our spirituality as a people, our ancestral legacy, carries us through hard times…”

“My works transcend racial, cultural, and objective classification, and reflect a broad range of social and emotional perspectives. I often focus on the energetic play of children, the absorbing work and social activities of adults, and the often overlooked beauty of nature's stillness. I enjoy trying to find the tension between freedom and confinement which is so central to the human condition. The study of emotions is a major factor in my creative process. I try to portray the inner being in my work. The longing for enjoyment as one struggles to endure the draining realities of the commonplace; all the while knowing that it is the moment that defines who we are and where we are going.

My recent work continues to explore that inner spirit that drives all of humanity; using more subjects that show the connection we as people have with nature and the rest of humankind. My study of color mixing has brought more realism and feeling to the subjects… The viewers are aware that although the image seems real there is a mood that captures their interest over the detail. It is this mood, this feeling, that inspires me to paint genre scenes. The messages in my art come from my personal experiences; the message that runs rampant throughout my work is that we have a strong life force rooted in our culture. Through the use of color, composition and texture, I try to convey the inner emotions, strength and life force that exist in the art works that I create."