"Midnight Bloom" by Carolyn Johnson

2018 Indian Wells Arts Festival Commemorative Print Original 39”w x 54”h mixed media painting canvas. This is a 6-color hexichrome print with outstanding reproduction. Print size 18” x 24” fits standard frame size. Honoring the 16th annual event is Featured Artist Carolyn Johnson’s celestial celebration, “Midnight Bloom,” an original mixed media painting commissioned to serve as the festival’s commemorative print. Enchanted by the sense of connectedness radiating throughout the universe, the Laguna Niguel, CA, artist captures the splendor of the desert night sky where the magic of midnight blooming cacti extends to the glow of a galaxy dancing above. “I am inspired by nature,” says Johnson, whose creative process for “Midnight Bloom” led her to develop an entirely new technique she calls “pastel fusion.” Incorporating free-hand drawing, impasto and marbling, Johnson enhances textural elements by fusing a distinctive effervescent layer, creating a deeply rich dimension of drama. “Carolyn’s interpretation of the beauty found in the desert is simply magical,” says Indian Wells Arts Festival producer, Dianne Funk. “The painting’s upward gaze to a star-lit galaxy is the kind of perspective that makes your imagination swarm ,” she adds, “and gracefully captures one of the many awe-inspiring desert vistas.” Johnson began her award-winning journey as an artist as a scholarship recipient and graduate of FIDM in Los Angeles, CA, and later pursued a successful career in corporate graphic art for HP, Cisco and Amdahl. Inspired by her own uncle, and renowned artists Klimt, Azoulay and Van Gogh, Johnson expanded her canvas to mixed media where she has continued to experiment with combinations of organic textures. Considering herself a drawing artist first with a foundation in painting, Johnson’s detailed line work defines her style and is the basis for most of her techniques. “I am Carolyn Johnson the artist, mother, friend, sister, and above all, the communicator and voice of my art,” says Johnson, forgoing mention of the big-name collectors and honors she’s accumulated. “All that matters is that you find a connection through my art; one that has created something that touches your soul and speaks to a place deep inside of you.”