Lucas Johnson

Lucas Johnson (October 24, 1940 – August 31, 2002) was an American artist and major force in the Texas art scene from the late 1960s to the early 2000s. Largely self-taught, he mastered numerous techniques, including egg tempera, pen and ink drawing, silverpoint, oil and acrylic painting, and the printmaking disciplines of aquatint, etching, lithography, serigraphy, drypoint and mezzotint. He was inspired by politics, music, fishing and the culture of Mexico, where he lived for a decade. His unique vision found expression in a wide range of subjects, from haunting, shamanic beings and quirky aquatic life to enigmatic, volcanic landscapes and still lifes of the orchid species he collected and cultivated. Early life Johnson was born in Hartford, Connecticut on October 24, 1940. At the age of seven, his family relocated to San Gabriel, California. At some point in elementary school, the youngster visited the Huntington Library on a class field trip. This first encounter with serious art, specifically Thomas Gainsborough's The Blue Boy, would shape Johnson's life. After graduating high school, Johnson enrolled at the University of California-Los Angeles to pursue a degree in marine biology. But, realizing his true calling as that of an artist, he dropped out before his junior year. Johnson traveled widely as a young man, working his way across the country with a series of odd jobs. He taught skiing, herded cattle and harvested wheat, before landing in New Orleans in 1960. By studying books, he taught himself basic art techniques, and then honed his craft making paintings for tourists in Jackson Square. During his stay in New Orleans, Johnson befriended figurative artist George Tooker, who encouraged the young painter to try his hand at egg tempera, Tooker's medium of choice. Johnson left New Orleans for New York, where he met a group of writers that included poet and editor Daniel Halpern, and the poet Joel Cohen. In 1962, at Cohen's invitation, Johnson accompanied the writer to Mexico City. When Cohen returned to the U.S., Johnson cashed in his return ticket and stayed in Mexico. He would live there for the next ten years.