Artists Lance Johnson
FALL 2024 RESIDENT · SEP – OCT
Lance Johnson
Layered-word painting
Lance Johnson is a mixed-media artist based in Columbus, Ohio, whose paintings are built on layers of words. He joined Manchester AIR at The Factory on Willow in Manchester, New Hampshire, for the Fall 2024 session.
About the work
Every piece Johnson makes starts with words of inspiration, such as hope, peace, dream, evolve, soul and love, layered across the surface before color and image are built on top. His motto is that the world is a canvas, and he paints on whatever is available: canvas, wood, tabletops and walls, including a neighbor’s garage wall in Columbus. Working in acrylic and spray paint, he brings the freedom, grit and energy of hip hop to his compositions.
Johnson cites the collage artist Romare Bearden as a lasting influence, and collage remains at the core of his process. His recent work has also drawn on the strength of his ancestors. Above all, he hopes to inspire young people with art full of positive messages, because, as he puts it, words have power.
Selected highlights
Featured by WOSU Public Media and Matter News
Exhibition catalog: Art IS Political, The Factory on Willow
