Page 11 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2025 - Online Magazine

MUSIC & ART

sometimes makes the viewer laugh
but never leaves the viewer without a
reaction to his bold statements.

Private and public collections
throughout the world have curated
James’ work. He has received many
accolades and awards throughout his
career including the Legacy Award of
the Texas Tech Museum and a recent
induction into the West Texas Walk of
Fame.
Pink Flowers on Green Ladycat Love James W. Johnson’s world class
paintings are not for the meek because
they stand up and smack the viewer
he plunged to the ground and was In 1985, he began a series of paintings. with forms, colors, and ideas that
hospitalized. Later that fall, he was “The Golden Rule” was based on James himself finds fascinating. His
badly beaten up. Despite all of the true stories from the local newspaper. work invites the audience to consider
catastrophes which happened his first Some of these paintings were larger the delicate beauty of a flower petal,
semester— before Thanksgiving— pieces with great gory details of man’s find unexpected humor in a subject, or
James decided to stay around for the inhumanity to man. The subject of dare to look at the dark underbelly of
second semester. Happily, with the those paintings started to scare even an idea. His gift is in making viewers
coming of spring, he fell in love with him, so, after five drawings and six laugh, making them uncomfortable,
West Texas—the people, the sky, and paintings, James moved on to another but never leaving them with no
the open landscape. “I feel cramped in series. reaction.
hills and forests now.”
Still another event influenced James’
Kreneck became a fundamental career path. It was
influence on James’ life. Much of the revelation that
Kreneck’s work has an element of teaching was not
humor that reflected James’ own sense the only way to
of humor. Like his mentor, he has make a living until
a natural sense of humor which he his art sold enough
skillfully incorporates in one way or to pay the bills. He
another into many of his paintings. was willing to paint
houses, continue to
Somewhere on his journey, James learn . . . and to wait.
decided to explore the characteristics He painted his last
and possibilities of painting with oils house in 1989. “Ten
and acrylics. He also decided to paint years after graduate
what he wanted to paint without letting school, I was making
the thoughts of others dictate how he a living with my
made his art. He wanted to paint with art.”
bold imagery through ideas of lust,
fear, and humor. He found himself on He had waited
the same path as many pioneer artists and continued to call or text
who cast aside rules of the past and pursue his passion.
created their own art. They refused In the process, 806.445.2081
to be limited by what had been done James became one
before or what popular critics wrote. of America’s skilled
The ledger of art history is filled artists whose joy in
with their names: Picasso, Bracht, his art is revealed
Kandinsky, Dali, Duchamp, Klee, Ernst. in an intensity that
James, an avid art historian, is keenly sometimes causes
aware of his own historical heritage in the viewer to feel
modern art. uncomfortable, that

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