Meet Teresa Lynn Johnson | Landscape and Animal Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teresa Lynn Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teresa Lynn, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
Nature, outdoors, animals and light. I grew up on a ranch and farm and was always outside, hiking, fishing, helping on the farm, working with animals and enjoying the beauty of nature around me. I love traveling country roads and mountain roads, just soaking in the joys of nature.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I was not exposed to a lot of art growing up but I was exposed to nature and animal life. I have always been creative, pursuing various outlets to create, but as an adult I pursed oil painting and immediately became immersed with a passion. I love learning and sharing my knowledge with others.I was one of 12 students selected nationwide, for a one year mentor-ship under Taos, NM artist Kevin Macpherson in 2012. The knowledge and encouragement he shared during the mentor-ship, inspired me to work at building my skills and knowledge to a level that would allow me to be a professional artist if I chose. My goal was to learn the skills and create works of art that would fall into that level. I soon discovered I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge along the way and watching others grow. So I had a dream of one day opening an art school as well as continuing to create my own art to share with others. I spent 25 years painting and taking classes, workshops, going to schools of art as I continued to work a day job. Along the way my work started being accepted into juried shows locally and nationally. My work placed in several shows and started selling. I have also been personally invited to show in art shows, having shown in New Mexico, Colorado California, and Texas. I have clients  in New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, Maine, California, Colorado and Nevada. The challenge along the way was finding time to spend studying, practicing and improving while working a day job and raising a family. I was and still am determined to keep learning, so I create opportunities and will work late at night or early in the morning to spend time on art. I feel the challenge gave me that much more determination and now that determination and hard work is bearing fruit. I opened an art school,   called, The Art Connection, in Aztec, NM in 2021. I currently have around 25 adult students taking classes. My Artist statement reads:

OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE…
THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS YOU AND ME
The challenge of capturing various subjects in exquisite light excites me and captures my imagination. The subjects I enjoy portraying the most, in my work, are nature and animals.
I am truly inspired by the way light illuminates the beauty of the land and the beautiful features or
character of an animal. I feel nature, if closely observed, can teach us about joy, heartbreak, beauty, struggle, inner peace and design.
As an artist, it is pure joy to create my interpretations of nature and animal life on canvas using artistic tools, knowledge and the stirring of my heart.
My medium of choice is oil. I enjoy the richness of color and the textures one can create with oil paint. My desire: “To be an instrument, sharing my knowledge, skills and gifts to help enrich the lives of others.

my website is www.teresalynnjohnson.com for my artwork, my art school website is www.theartconnectionnm.com

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We have a wonderful area, being in the four corners region of the United States. We can easily be within a short drive into Colorado, Utah, and Arizona as well as here in New Mexico. In this area surrounding Aztec, I would take them to dine at some wonderful Mexican food restaurants with hot green chili such as Rubio’s, Los Rios, and Si Seniors. If it was winter time, I would taking them skiing up at the Durango Purgatory Ski Resort in Durango, Colorado. In the summer, I would  book a trip on the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge train that runs through the beautiful mountains of Colorado or the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad that runs through beautiful scenery of New Mexico. Here in the surrounding area within New Mexico, I would take them to some of the Indian ruins such as the Aztec Ruins, go fly fishing in the Quality waters of the San Juan River, or spend time visiting Santa Fe, Jemez Mountains, Taos and all their wonderful rich history and art, as well as the  beautiful art galleries in Santa Fe and Taos. Also we would need to see the wonders of nature in Monument Valley either through Arizona or from the Utah side.  There is so much to do here in this area including some beautiful lakes and mountain ranges in New Mexico to visit. That is the beauty of the Land of Enchantment, we have  so many choices of outdoor activities  as well as culture and art.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Taos Artist Kevin Macpherson for mentoring me in a one year art program. A painting that continues to inspire and move me by the Master Russian painter Ivan Shishkin’s painting titled “Before The Storm”. I have been encouraged by many painting friends and artists over the years and of course the wonderful, loving support of my husband and family to purse becoming a professional artist.

x

Website: www.teresalynnjohnson.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/teresalynnjohnsonartist/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/teresalynnart1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresalynnjohnsonart/