atomic10

Atomic Painting #10, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

36 × 48 in (91.4 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $8000

atomic9

Atomic Painting #9, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

36 × 48 in (91.4 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $8000

atomic8

Atomic Painting #8, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 48 in (121.9 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $10000

atomic7

Atomic Painting #7, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 48 in (121.9 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $10000

atomic5

Atomic Painting #5, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 48 in (121.9 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $10000

atomic4

Atomic Painting #4, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 60 in (121.9 × 152.4 cm)

For Sale: $12000

atomic3

Atomic Painting #3, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 60 in (121.9 × 152.4 cm)

For Sale: $12000

atomic2

Atomic Painting #2, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 60 in (121.9 × 152.4 cm)

For Sale: $12000

atomic1

Atomic Painting #1, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 60 in (121.9 × 152.4 cm)

For Sale: $12000

atomic6

Atomic Painting #6, 2023

Painting, acrylic on panel

48 × 48 in (121.9 × 121.9 cm)

For Sale: $10000

atomic11

Atomic Painting #11, 2024

Painting, acrylic on linen

48 × 60 in (121.9 × 152.4 cm)

For Sale: $12000

Biography

Clay Johnson (American, b. 1963) was born in Durham, North Carolina, where he studied art and art history at Duke University, receiving a B.A. degree in 1985. He then worked for several years as assistant to the painter Robert Natkin in Connecticut and New York City. He began showing paintings from his first series of mature work in 1998, and has since exhibited in galleries across the United States and in Europe. His work is represented in collections around the world. Clay began work on his Strata Series shortly after relocating to Wyoming, and, while non-objective in nature, the paintings convey a sense of the wide open landscape of the American west. The Atomic Series continues his exploration of formal concerns—light, color, texture—while introducing a more narrative element inspired by the interactions of subatomic particles. Clay currently lives and works in Laramie, Wyoming.

 

Johnson's "Strata Series" is a stunning collection of abstract paintings and works on paper that capture the essence of memory and the human experience. Moving to Wyoming, known for its vast open spaces and breathtaking landscapes, served as a major inspiration for his work. While the paintings may not have overt references to the natural world, they convey a powerful sense of the wide-open space and the ever-changing formations of the land.

 

Johnson views his paintings as collections of moments and experiences that have been collaged together. This mirrors the way our minds construct memories, with layers of different moments and experiences blending to create a representation of a person, place, or idea. In a similar way, Johnson layers many sections over one another in his paintings, keeping the parts he likes and painting over or modifying the less memorable elements. This process of editing and layering reflects the way our brains forget certain experiences and focus on others, creating a distorted but meaningful representation of our memories.

 

Upon first glance, the "Strata Series" paintings may appear chaotic and busy, but upon closer inspection, the layers reveal a carefully crafted composition. The many layers are distinct and yet seamlessly blend together to create a cohesive whole. This perfectly captures the complexity of human memory, where seemingly unrelated moments and experiences come together to form a unique and meaningful representation of our lives. By incorporating this concept of memory within his paintings, Johnson invites viewers to contemplate their own memories and the ways in which they construct their own realities.

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