Lydia Johnston

Taos, NM Website | Instagram | View All Works

I am an artist living and working in northern New Mexico. My oil paintings are full of rich, vibrant colors. When you look at one of my paintings, I want you to sink into it and be transported.

My work is moving towards abstraction. I create a sense of place without providing all the details, drawing you back continually to find something new. I want my paintings to have mystery, to allude to the familiar while remaining ambiguous. By hinting at things, I hope to trigger your imagination, allowing you to connect in a profound way.

In my studio, I start by laying on color. I want lots of layers, they add translucence and luminosity, depth and a richness. I love to add dots and patterns. In addition to brushes, I work with wide color shapers, silicone tools similar to palette knives, that give my work its distinctive look, the angled and carved markings that add vitality and complexity.

I have been working with color and design since 1985. I started in fabric, creating my own designs for wall hangings and painting and dying my materials. Color has always been my passion.

In 2003, I switched to oil paints from a desire to have more control of my colors. The serendipity of the fabric dying process was exhilarating, but unpredictable. Painting with oils gives me the control over color I was searching for.

For thirty years I worked in southwestern Vermont. In 2015 I moved to northern New Mexico where I am delighting in the big, open skies and incredible light. My work has been exhibited throughout the country and hangs in many private collections.

Works by Lydia Johnston

View All Works by Lydia Johnston