Carmen Cartiness Johnson



ARTIST STATEMENT

I create art because I enjoy it. I think art should be fun. Art doesn’t always need to deliver a message. Art should not require the viewer to have academic education in order to understand a work. I think art should break boundaries and challenge rules.
I am painting things I see in the world. I like the human figure and story telling. Painting images that speak to the challenges and joys human beings face on daily basis. The subject matter I choose is based on my past, how and where I grew up as well as the places I travel daily. Ideas can come from a phrase in a song, a poem and proverbs, as well as novels and movies. I like off beat subject matter. My ultimate goal is to give the viewer situations in which they can relate.
The challenging part is getting the image from my mind to the canvas. I work primarily with acrylic paint because it’s odorless and clean up is easy.