Music:
(ABOVE) "SEX LOVE" 3'x4' ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 2005
(MIDDLE AND BELOW) DETAILS FROM: "SEX LOVE" CENTERED ON THE TWO MAIN FIGURES. THIS PAINTING ADDRESSES THE COMMONLY NOTED YET COMPLEX CONCEPT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LUST AND LOVE; SPECIFICALLY HOW ONE DISTINCTION WILL AFFECT THE OTHER. THE TITLE PHRASE "SEX LOVE" IS PAINTED BOLDLY IN RUSSIAN SURROUNDING THE MAIN SUBJECTS AND THE NOTIONS OF "LUST" AND "LOVE" ARE CAPTURED INDIVIDUALLY WITHIN THE PORTRAITS OF THE TWO WOMEN. "SEX LOVE" IS CURRENTLY IN THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF ANASTASIA MOROZOVA IN MOSCOW, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
(ABOVE) "MARIE LIBERTY" 1999 ACRYLIC ON PANEL 3'x3'
(BELOW) PATRONS DAVID AND LORI BAUM PHOTOGRAPHED AT HOME WITH "MARIE LIBERTY"
WATERCOLOR ON MATCHBOOK COVER 2006 COLLECTION OF THE ARTIST.
DIPTYCH; "LOVELY NEWS" ACRYLIC ON CANVAS (SEPT 1998) 20"x30" AS THE STORY GOES; THIS IS A PORTRAIT OF A COUPLE, THEY HAVE NOT YET MET AND ARE ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACHOTHER AND EACH WILL HAVE THEIR FIRST GLANCE OF THE OTHER AS THE BEGIN TO CROSS THE STREET IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE TWO PAINTINGS ARE IN THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF JENNIFER PRESTON.
(ABOVE)"KATE'S FIELD OF SUNFLOWERS" 2004 ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 5' X 4'
(BELOW) "KATE'S FIELD OF SUNFLOWERS" IS SHOWN HERE WITH THE SUBJECT, INSPIRATION, AND PATRON TO THE PAINTING AT HOME IN THE UKRAINE.
(ABOVE) "MEGAN" WATERCOLOR ON CANVAS 3'X4' 2005
(BELOW) FIREND AND PATRON MEGAN DAHM PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE STUDIO OF CHARLES JOHNSON NEXT TO HER PORTRAIT; THE PAINTING IS NOW IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION.
(ABOVE) "WALTZ TO CHOPIN" 1999 ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 4' X 4' THE INITAIL MOTIVATION FOR CREATING THIS PIECE WAS SIMPLY TO CREATE AN IMAGE FOR MYSELF TO ASSOCIATE WITH A PARTICULAR WORK BY CHOPIN. THE PAINTING BECAME A DIPTYCH THE SECOND WORK REVEALS THE VIEW FROM THE OPPOSING PERSPECTIVE. THE TWO PAINTINGS ARE BOTH IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION IN FLORIDA. TO VIEW A LARGER VERSION OF THE PAINTING, CLICK ON THE DESIRED IMAGE, IT WILL BE SHOWN IN A NEW WINDOW.
(BELOW) ARTIST CHARLES JOHNSON AND PATRON GARY PAULZAK PHOTOGRAPHED WITH "WALTZ TO CHOPIN" AT THE OFFICES OF AMERICAN SECURITIES INVESTMENT FIRM.
(First)"NON-NUDE NUDE" 2004 MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS, IN THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF STEVE IMEL
(Center Three) DETAIL IMAGES FROM "NON-NUDE NUDE"
(BELOW) PHOTOGRAPH OF ARTIST CHARLES JOHNSON IN THE HOME OF PATRON STEVE IMEL
"SHE WANTS NOBODY" (2005) PEN AND WATERCOLOR ON PAPER approx. 8"x10"
THIS PAINTING IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF WORKS THAT UTILIZE SIGN LANGUAGE DIAGRAMS TO VISUALLY DEPICT AN OTHERWISE WRITTEN MESSAGE.
THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS SERIES WAS TO CREATE A VISUALLY APPEALING BRIDGE BETWEEN POETRY AND PAINTING. MUCH OF THE VOCABULARY OF AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (A.S.L.) IS SIMILAR OR SAME IN OTHER COUNTRIES, I FELT THIS TO BE INSPIRING AS IT WOULD CREATE A NATURAL ADVANTAGE OVER WRITTEN POETRY.
THE TITLE FOR THIS PAINING "SHE WANTS NOBODY" IS THE PHRASE WRITTEN IN DIAGRAM ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAINTING. THE PRESENCE OF THE FEMALE FIGURE PROVIDES NECESSARY CONTEXT FOR THE WORD "SHE" WHILE ILLUSTRATING THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT OF THE SUBJECT.
TO VIEW A LARGER VERSION OF THE PAINTING, CLICK ON THE DESIRED IMAGE, IT WILL BE SHOWN IN A NEW WINDOW.
"HELSINKI CATHEDRAL" Pencil on Paper 5" x 7" 1999 THIS SKETCH WAS COMPLETED IN A SHORT 12 HOURS WHILE ON HOLIDAY IN FINLAND. DRAWING WAS STARTED ON SITE; THE VIEW IS FROM A TABLE AT THE ANGEL CAFE'. THE "LINE WORK" WAS COMPLETED ON SITE IN 1 HOUR; THE SHADING REQUIRED THE ADDITION 11 HOURS AND WAS COMPLETED WHILE IN KYMI, FINLAND. THIS SKETCH WAS THE SINGLE SOURCE FOR A PAINTING OF THE CATHEDRAL THAT WOULD BE COMMISIONED YEARS LATER; REVEALED IN A SLIDESHOW TO THE RIGHT.
"THIS NEVER HAPPENED" (2005) PEN AND WATERCOLOR ON PAPER. approx. 8"x11"
THIS IS THE SECOND PAINTING IN THE SERIES OF WORKS THAT INCORPORATE A.S.L. DIAGRAMS WITHIN A COMPOSITION. THE TITLE PHRASE "THIS NEVER HAPPENED" IS DEPICTED BY THREE SEPERATE DIAGRAMS.
TO VIEW A LARGER VERSION OF THE PAINTING, CLICK ON THE DESIRED IMAGE, IT WILL BE SHOWN IN A NEW WINDOW.
"A BANjO LESSON FROM THE LATE REV. HOWARD FENSTER" 1999
"TAKING A BREAK FROM PAINTING, PLAYING GUITAR" (2003)
PLAYING GUITAR CAN RELEASE SOME OF THE TENSION THAT WILL BUILD UP IN THE HANDS DURING LONGER PAINTING OR DRAWING SESSIONS.
Photographer: Riikka Olli, "SHOPPING IN TALLIN ESTONIA" 1999
"WIEGHT OF THE WORLD" 1998 ACRYLIC ON PAPER 3.5" X 3.5"
"PROJECTED SELF IMAGE OF LOVE AND REQUITEMENT" 1998 Acrylic on Canvas 16" x 20" TO VIEW A LARGER VERSION OF THE PAINTING, CLICK ON THE DESIRED IMAGE, IT WILL BE SHOWN IN A NEW WINDOW.
"FIRST MOMENTS" 16" x 20" ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 2002
"SELF PORTRAIT" 1999 ACRYLIC ON PAPER 2' X 3' THIS SELF PORTRAIT IS ONE OUT OF A SERIES OF SIX; THE SERIES WAS COMPLETED IN THREE DAYS, EACH ON PAPER, NOW ARE ALL CURRENTLY IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.
"JUST PAINT INSTALLATION: CLEVELAND" Painting on Lamp Post 2003
"Festung Marienburg" 1997 Pen on Paper 5" x 7" THIS IS A SKETCH OF THE FORTRESS THAT OVERLOOKS THE CITY OF WURZBURG, A FAVORITE SITE DURING MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, WITH FRIENDS WE WOULD FREQUENT THE AREA OF THE FORTRESS THAT WAS ONCE A MOAT TO PLAY FRISBEE AND CELEBRATE OCCASIONS; PROM, NEW YEARS, MILITARY FUNCTIONS, ETC.
"Festung Marienburg" (1997) INK ON PAPER approx. 16"x20"
"Festung Marienburg" (1997) PENCIL ON PAPER 4"X9"
"AT THE HELM OF DESIRE" PEN ON PAPER (2005) 4"x4"
"COUPLED TOGETHER IN A MATCHBOOK" MIXED MEDIA ON MATCHBOOK (2005) THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF MANY WORKS COMPLETED ON THE INSIDE FLAP OF A MATCHBOOK
"MUSIC, THEY MADE IT TOGETHER" PEN ON PAPER (2005) THIS DRAWING WAS UNIQUE; REQUIRING THREE COASTERS TO BE PEELED FOR ITS COMPLETION, AS THE FIGURES REVEALED THEMSELVES THE SHADOWS CASTED IN FLIGHT BECAME NECESSARY TO PROVIDE CONTEXT TO THEIR SPIRITUAL NATURE.
"SELF PORTRAIT" (1999) ACRYLIC ON PAPER 2' x 3' ; THIS SELF PORTRAIT IS ONE OUT OF A SERIES OF SIX; THE SERIES WAS COMPLETED IN THREE DAYS, EACH ON PAPER, NOW ARE ALL CURRENTLY IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.
CHARLES JOHNSON; (2003) IN STUDIO STRIPPING THE SURFACE AREA FROM THE GUITAR CASE THAT WOULD LATER BE WORKED INTO THE SURFACE FOR THE PAINTING SHOWN BELOW.
"DEAF TO THE HORNS OF HEAVEN, THIS HEAD WILL BLEED FOR LOVE" (2003) ACRYLIC - GUITAR CASE ; THIS PROJECT INTRIGUED ME AS IT WAS MY FIRST REQUEST TO PAINT ON A GUITAR CASE, TO COMPLETE THE WORK EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS AND TIME, THE GUITAR CASE WAS SANDED AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF UV PROTECTIVE VARNISH WAS ADDED. SINCE THIS COMMISSION A PAINTING HAS BEEN SIMILARLY ATTEMPTED ON A REFRIGERATOR DOOR, THIS PROJECT IS NEAR COMPLETION.
(ABOVE) "SUITED" PENCIL ON PAPER 5"x7" (1998) THIS SKETCH WAS THE STUDY FOR THE FOLLOWING PAINTING.
(BELOW) "SUITED" ACRYLIC ON CANVAS (1998) 11"x14"
"MEMORY LACED HOPE" WATERCOLOR ON PAPER (1999) 30"x40" THIS DEPICTION OF THE PAINTING DOES NOT REVEAL THE FULL WORK; THIS LARGE SCALE WATERCOLOR PAINTING WAS BASED PRIMARILY ON SKETCHES FROM TRAVELS TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND RECENT DREAMS. THE CENTRAL GROUPING OF FIGURES ABOVE THE GRAVE SITE REPRESENT FORMS OF IMMORTAL BEINGS THAT WOULD REVEAL (AT LEAST IN DREAM FORM) THE NATURE OF SPECTRUMISM AND HOW TO REALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF THE THEORY. BY FAR ONE OF MY MOST VIVID AS WELL AS INVIGORATING DREAMS. CURRENTLY IN THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF MIKE MORANO
"NIGHT FISHING" 1999 WATERCOLOR ON PAPER approx. 8"x10" THIS PAINTING WAS COMPLETED IN MEMORY OF ARNIE HART; FRIEND AND COLLEGE INSTUCTOR.
CHARLES JOHNSON WITH "FREE ART" ; THIS PAINTING IS approx. 17'x9' ACRYLIC ON CANVAS. THE PAINTING CONTAINS TWO SEPARATE COMPOSITIONS; ONE PAINTED ON EACH SIDE. THE COMPOSITION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PAINTING IS A PAINTING BASED ON THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; THE WORK WAS COMPLETED FRONT AND BACK BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH. THE SIDE OF THE PAINTING SHOWN IN THIS PHOTO IS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF "RECYCLING"; THE OVERALL COMPOSITION INCLUDES SMALLER WORKS COMPLETED INDEPENDENTLY OF THIS PROJECT, AS WELL AS SONG LYRICS FROM SOME OF THE MUSIC THAT WAS PLAYING AT THE TIME OF ITS CREATION.
ARTIST: CHARLES MAYER (PORTRAIT OF CHARLES JOHNSON) ; "I DON'T LIKE TO BE THIS SKINNY. I WANT TO BE FAT SOMEDAY, ENORMOUSLY FAT" POLYMER CLAY (2004) THIS PIECE WAS COMPLETED TO BE ENTERED IN THE SPECTRUMISM GROUP SHOW (FALL 2004), THE EXHIBIT OPENED ON THE FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATING THE DEBUT OF THE SPECTRUMISM THEORY, FROM N.W.F. DAILY NEWS AUGUST 15 1999.
"MARIE"
"MERAV"
"JEREMY"
"JOELLE"
"JAMIE"
"DAWN"
"JESSICA IRENE"
