A Tale of Two Rivers: the Ganges and the Danube / June 30, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

These old sketches of mine explained.

“Through the years, I’ve had these two sketches displayed in my place of residence. I’ve never fully explained them to anyone other than my wife (Lana) so, here it goes... ”

In 1990, I had the good fortune of finishing up some graduate studies in Rome, Italy. As with most days while there, I had the fabulous opportunity to simply go out and explore between class lectures, test taking, and paper writing. One morning, while at the Piazza Navona I stood in amazement in front of this giant, Egyptian obelisk (tall, four-sided, tapering tower) in the center of a rather active fountain with four “god-like” statues encircling. I had seen and read of this in art history textbooks—Giovanni Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. It was a tribute to four major rivers of the four continents through which papal authority had spread: the Nile representing Africa, the Danube representing Europe, the Ganges representing Asia, and the Río de la Plata representing the Americas. I never returned to the piazza to sketch the other two sculptures— the Nile or the Rio.

Sculpture Controversy in 1650?

Little did I know at the time, but this fountain (unveiled in 1651) created a bit of friction. There was opposition from the people of Rome for several reasons.

The Pope at this time—Innocent X—had the fountain built at public expense even during an intense famine. The city often spoke of riots and certainly protested. Some left hand-written notes on the stone building blocks of the obelisk. "We do not want Obelisks and Fountains, it is bread that we want. Bread, Bread, Bread!" The Pope swiftly arrested the known authors and followed up by placing spies along the piazza.
Roman Jews were allowed to market used clothing in this area until the statue came along. They tried to continue but were expelled by authorities because they detracted from the intended “magnificence”.

Some things never change. Public art will always cause some sort of reaction—favorable and unfavorable. Who knows? Had I been a Roman citizen in the mid-1600s, I too may have objected to the art. However, fast-forward nearly 400 years to this day, I am inspired and amazed by the piece and the work of Bernini.

Details from these two sketches below:

If you would like to see more works like this (or even not like this), feel free to visit my studio by appointment at 113 North Three Notch, Troy, AL. Enjoy!

When Troy Art + Design was featured in the "Creative Quarterly? / May 28, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

As I am unpacking and transitioning between being a full-time academic and now a full-time artist/designer, I sort through tons of documents that I must decide whether to retain or to let go of. One colorful publication literally jumped out at me (okay, figuratively jumped out) when I saw the familiar but illustrated face of “The Rock” on its cover. It was this particular issue of the Creative Quarterly that hosted a feature article on Art and Design at TROY. I won’t “let go of” this one.

Front cover of Issue 5 of “Creative Quarterly” featuring TROY’s Art and Design Department.

Years ago, I was exploring various design journals and publications that might benefit our students. I ran across one called the Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design. This publication was rather new at the time although its publisher has been an extremely active one in New York for several decades. Due to the success of our students who had been entering their work into their juried competitions, CQ offered to give TROY a spread in their publication. Excellent!

Creative Quarterly is an international journal that focuses on promoting the best work in graphic design, illustration, photography, and fine art. Their competitions are open to all artists, designers, and photographers at all levels—professionals, students, amateurs—in all countries. Winners and Runner-ups are featured online with winners advancing to a “100 Best Show”.

Below are some snaps of the article as well as some TROY student work that was published in this particular issue. It’s been a few years but it still makes me proud to see these students’ works in such a respected journal. Enjoy!

Sienna Cloud enjoys “open studio” during TroyFest!!! / May 4, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

What a difference a day makes (Saturday storms + Sunday shines)

“I’ve actually begun three new series of work in the past year; showcasing two of these during the opening. ”

Firstly) the “BIRDS INSPIRE” series. These mixed-media works pay homage to the feathered friends that frequent us often in the backyards of Troy. To date, I’ve paid pictorial homage to the Northern Cardinal, Eastern Towhee, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, House Finch, Eastern Bluebird, and probably my favorite—the Carolina Wren. My initial plan was to create 10-15 of these before moving on to another series but I’m impatient and decided to do several series concurrently.

During TroyFest and the opening, two of my aerial guests (now memorialized in paint and graphite) have flown the coop to reside in their new homes. Grateful for patrons of the arts! :)

Secondly) the featured abstract series “BE STILL, LIFE” is a colorful and vivid exploration of “the still life”. Inspiration for this series was in large part due to the Pike County Art Guild, regularly meeting in my studio for drawing/paining sessions. We would take turns being responsible for setting up various table-top objects to paint, sketch, or draw. I LOVE how time spent with fellow creatives always spawns new ideas and new energies. If you reside in Pike County and enjoy the visual arts—what a great group of folks to partner with! (PCAG)

Thirdly) TroyGeo is a beginning series of drawings and mixed-media that will integrate recognizable (and sometimes iconic) elements of Troy arranged in a creative fashion utilizing geometric shapes. More to come about this series!

Below is an album of images from the “open studio”:

Finding Joy Below: Towhees Inspire / April 6, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

The Eastern Towhee is no “high-flyer”.

After living in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and Alabama, I naively assumed that there was simply one kind of sparrow—the House Sparrow. Little did I know that there are many sparrow types!

THE EASTERN TOWHEE

This particular visitor to my home in Troy, Alabama is apparently an oversized sparrow called the Eastern Towhee. They are considered “birds of the undergrowth” as they would rather forage through stems, leaves, and branches on the ground than soar among the clouds. Strikingly marked, they are typically feathered in bold black and warm/sienna hues. Their rummaging sounds make far more noise than you would expect for a bird their size.

They spend much of their time on the ground, scratching at leaves using both feet at the same time, in a kind of backward hop. It is most common to see the Towhee climbing in low shrubs and trees. Much like the Carolina Wren, the Eastern Towhees are likely to inhabit areas that are brushy and overgrown—like the edge of my backyard. If your feeders are near that vegetated edge they might venture out to find fallen seeds.

Their song (the chewink) is unique and memorable. The eyes are often red, but white eyes for Towhees are more common in the southeast.

Another detail view of the mixed-media piece (graphite, watercolor, and gouache)

WHAT ABOUT THIS SERIES: BIRDS INSPIRE?

To date, I have made compositions of the Red-Bellied Woodpecker, the Carolina Wren, the Northern Cardinal, the Eastern Bluebird, and the House Finch. Each one has taught me something new and has inspired me to take greater notice of the beauty and design that abounds in God’s creation. I can barely understand what is seen much less the unseen! However, this artistic inquiry is based on a longing that I have to stop, take note, appreciate, marinate in the sounds and motions of these small visitors. These birds are exemplary of so much in life.

When you view these pieces (hopefully in person some day), I too hope that you will stop, take note, appreciate, marinate in the lines, colors, shapes, and textures—my lowly attempt to be like my Father in Heaven and be creative.

“Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. —2 Corinthians 6:10””

This finished mixed-media piece, approximately 12”w x 20”h, can be viewed along with other works at Sienna Cloud Creative, 113 North Three Notch Street in Troy, Alabama. (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

Adornment for Romancing: Woodpeckers Inspire / March 29, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

With some regularity, I’ve observed about three (3) woodpecker species in my backyard—The Red-Headed Woodpecker, the Pileated Woodpecker, and the lesser advertised Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Surprisingly though, the latter of these is the only one to be represented on the TOP 15 Spotted Birds by Birdwatchers of Alabama. This fact led me on a little quest to learn more about my red-bellied friend so I can understand him/her better when they “come-a-knockin’.”

The most common woodpecker in the southeast, the Red-Bellied Woodpecker is about nine to ten inches tall with a wingspan of 13 to 17 inches. The name would indicate a strong “red” presence on the belly but at best the reddish hue “might be” present as a very light red or pinkish color. Males typically have a strong red on the crown of the head and neck while the females “might” have a bit of red on the nape.

Although I love to see the bright red contrasting with the formal suit of black and white, I have to admit, just as charming to me is the song and sounds of this visitor—very distinguishable—almost tropical sounding with its rolling song and rhythmic hammering on wood. Here is a brief sample of their rolling trill. In fact, I attempted to capture this feeling in poetry as shown below in a detailed view of the artwork.

Red-Bellied Woodpeckers are found throughout most of the eastern United States, except for northern New England. Birds in the northern part of the range may migrate south in extremely cold winter months. Throughout Alabama, they are common and sometimes permanent residents.

An interesting but not necessarily obvious feature of the woodpecker is their feet! They have two toes forward and two toes back. Unlike many other birds with three toes forward and one toe back. This characteristic helps them climb upright up tree trunks—the perfect position for hammering, boring, plucking and tucking the bark to find or even store food within the crevices. The Red-Belly’s diet consists of both fruit and insects—but more fruit and berries. It’s not uncommon for them to hang upside down while feeding on berries. Again—thanks to atypical feet!

It’s comforting to know that our Creator—the One watching over the most fragile creatures—watches over us.

“...and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; He who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. —Psalm 136:24-25”

Finding “the Way” at Bush Baptist Church / January 22, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

“Jesus is the Way!” This is certainly a common saying among Christian evangelicals. And, for good reason (ref. John 14:6).

But, what if you were simply trying to find your way in, around, and through a church campus—one that has been progressively modified and added to multiple times over generations? More than likely, there was no master plan generated by knowledgeable architects who fully considered the repurposing of buildings, the addition of new structures, the expansion of parking spaces with loading and unloading zones, new ministries, and so much more. Since God is not the “author of confusion” it seems only fair to consider Wayfinding important on several levels and not just for the biggie—eternal salvation.

*This was the production teams’ visual concept of the primary identity sign.*

So, how does someone new to the church campus navigate through the various unfamiliar and often times disjointed structures and thoroughfares? Enter, the Bush Baptist Church Design Team of which I am thrilled to be a part of. We were charged by our pastor—Dustin Coleman—to consider all possibilities in making our church campus more navigable. Also, a shout out to Jeff Ryan of Blockwire Manufacturing for his huge part in fabrication!

The Bush Design Team spent many weeks studying the possibilities by researching “wayfinding” in general as well as the needs of our guests and members. We determined to start with three types of signage—1) Identity Signage; 2) Informational Signage; and 3) Directional Signage. We literally went through scores and scores of iterations to arrive where we are now. The Design Team currently consists of designers—Shamario Ross, Cassandra Brent, Aaron Johnson, Aaron Wilson, and yours truly. The entire church staff (Dustin Coleman, Marlon Woods, and Nikki Hensley), as well as Mike Davis, were valuable contributors to this continuing process.

This was the vertical version of the Bush logo as created by Clay McCullough.

The primary element of identity signage is certainly the logo. In 2017, Bush’s Design Team also went through the process of developing a meaningful logo for what was then known as Bush Memorial Baptist Church. It was determined to delete the “memorial” word from the naming as it sounded a little “funerary”. The Bush family was considered and consulted as not to offend. In fact, they were thrilled with the idea of deleting “memorial” from the church’s name.

The logo was designed by then student-designer and member of Bush—Clay McCullough.

In The Calvary Road, author Roy Hession compares the local church to a “wheel”. This symbol strongly characterizes the importance of horizontal and vertical relationships within the Body of Christ with the members being like spokes and Jesus being the critical center of our existence. The closer we get to Jesus Christ, the closer we get to one another.

As you can see from the few images below, the team has made progress with a little more to do to make good on our charge. Onward and hope You find THE WAY!!!

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. —John 14:6”

Abstraction / January 20, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

People often ask “What is your favorite ‘style’ or ‘genre’ of art?” To be frank, I’ve always struggled with answering that sort of question. My struggle is not only related to art preferences but life in general—favorite food, favorite band, favorite movie, favorite book, etc. I don’t really have “favorites” for the simple reason that I admire and appreciate so many different things. The context, meaning, and purpose are as important to me as the style, the food, the music, the movie, the book, etc. In fact, what is most important to me IS—context, meaning, and purpose.

Keep Still - Life 02 - detail.jpg — Be Still, Life!

“So, my best answer to that question is ‘no favorites, I like most art styles!’”

Typically, I paint/draw in a more representational (realistic) style but love to integrate abstract elements in some fashion or other. I prefer asymmetry—obtaining balance without simple, formal, right-to-left balance. Asymmetry is more difficult to achieve but is much more exciting to view in my opinion. I also love abstract art. For those that don’t really know what “abstract art” truly means, it means that there is a recognizable subject matter but there is some level of distortion or obscuring of natural perspective, color, texture, shape, or other.

Currently, I am doing a series of abstract still-life paintings to simply enjoy the process of color, balance, movement, and more without being overly concerned with representational accuracy. It really is a great exercise in creating a division of space without relying totally on literal observation. I am free to stretch, move, slice, add, subtract, or whatever. What I am observing is providing information and inspiration to create something totally unique. And, hopefully, by using good principles of design I can achieve something of visual interest.

Recently, the Pike County Art Guild (PCAG) has been hosting drawing/painting-from-life sessions at Sienna Cloud studio. This has been a tremendous opportunity for me (and for others) to gain inspiration from others and to explore new methods and ideas while honing the skills that we already possess. It has been so helpful!

Below is a sampling of some of the abstractions that have been inspired by these PCAG sessions.

If you ever see an art piece that has no recognizable subject matter, it might be considered a “non-objective” work. Perhaps most of you would recognize these “non-objective” pieces by renowned artists— Franz Kline, Piet Mondrian, and Jackson Pollock.

I always try to learn something of a spiritual nature through all that I do. In studying these still-life setups in the studio, I am reminded of the passages of scripture that encourage us to “Be Still…”. The common concept of “stop and smell the roses” is another way of looking at these man-made, still-life compositions. Taking time to meditate on seeing not just the objects but rather the spaces, shapes, textures, edges, colors, values, and much, much more. This sensitizes me in a large way as I begin to discern what is obvious through simple observation and look deeper to see what is significantly obscure or even absent. This turns me from simply seeing “what is” to envisioning “what can be”.

“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! —Psalm 46:10”

Slow. Down. Contemplate. See Deeply. Be Still, LIFE!

If you would like to see more works like this or even not like this, feel free to visit my studio by appointment at 113 North Three Notch, Troy, AL. Enjoy!

Highly Social: Finches Inspire / January 14, 2021 by Jerry Johnson

Finches may form flocks as large as several hundred birds!

Most of us are familiar with finches. However, there are many different variations of them. The most commonly seen in Alabama is the House Finch—about the size of a sparrow. The House Finch can be quite diverse in its coloration and markings as the male’s coloring is apparently quite sensitive to his diet. In fact, the diversity in coloration and markings caused Lana and me a little confusion in identifying this little bird when it first came around. I haven’t experienced this yet but I read that some House Finches have extremely bright yellow markings! Again, this is contingent upon their diet.

House Finches feed mainly on the ground or at fruit trees or feeders. This is where we first noticed them in our yard—beneath one of our feeders. Apparently, they love the black oil sunflower seeds!

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. —Matthew 1-:29”

These little birds love to perch on the highest point available in a tree. Due to their small stature, it’s no wonder they aren’t commonly seen in the body of a tree. They are also known to perch on power lines as a flock.

In a display of courtship, the male sometimes feeds the female that begins with the female gently pecking at his bill and fluttering her wings.

Below is the latest iteration of my “Birds Inspire” series—presenting the House Finch. Enjoy!

This finished mixed-media piece, approximately 12”w x 14”h, can be viewed along with other works at my studio—Sienna Cloud Creative at 113 North Three Notch in Troy, Alabama. (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

ART+DESIGN BY JERRY JOHNSON