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."