Artist of the Month: Meet Nils Johnson

Nancy Friedman

Being the son of a carpenter, it is no wonder Nils aspired to be an architect. After starting his own business and remodeling two of his own residences, he decided to take some watercolor classes at a local college. It has just been in the past six years that Nils started painting in acrylics, by taking classes again at a local art school where he lived previously in Ventura, California. He has since taken other classes on abstract art from well-known artists, such as Bob Burridge most recently. When asked why he changed from watercolor to acrylics, he stated that he found acrylics to be more forgiving and have a greater ability to blend.

Nils is one of a few prolific artists in the Fine Arts Guild who is not officially retired, but still has time to help a fellow artist when asked or to teach classes. Nils can paint tight, realistic scenes as if he were drawing them like a building, but prefers to go abstract when painting. He has taught basic classes in values and shadowing, to more abstract classes with palette knives and paper towels.

The Fine Arts Guild is fortunate to have Nils as our treasurer, wood worker, and teacher. His artwork can be seen in Studio II and is for sale.