Johansen Newman

Sunset with Pygmy Owls, Original Painting

2022

Artist Comments
Artist Johansen Newman illustrates a nude portrait of a woman in the deep woods. She uses her unique combination of colors, patterns, and details, presenting a tattooed woman with flowing hair basking in the brilliant sunset light, surrounded by pygmy owls. Johansen draws fascination from the majesty of birds of prey and how they enhance the beauty of the human body. "The peacefulness of the ethereal moment is interrupted by the piercing eyes of the woman and her feathered friends," shares Johansen.

About the Artist
Artist Johansen Newman captures various characters through charming scenes that often weave nostalgia. A reflection of her fondness for edge and funk prevails in her dynamic portrayal of humans with animals and objects of their affection. As a toddler, her mother gave her crayons and allowed her to draw on the walls of her room. She pursued a degree in painting and printmaking, then furthered her education by studying with Bil Baird at his puppet theater in New York, ultimately forming her puppet troupe. Years of crafting puppets, designing scenery, writing stories, and performing shows developed her arsenal of skills—going on to be an award-winning fiber artist exhibiting throughout North America. She integrates these learnings into her current art practice. "My paintings capture fragments of a tale in a time and place that was, is, or has the promise to become," says Johansen. She works at her studio and display gallery at Gorse Mill Studios, a 19th Century textile mill building in Needham, MA. Her woodworking shop doubles as her home studio, where she constantly evolves her compositions to satisfy her aesthetic. Johansen's work has been featured on the cover of local publications, in pictorial essays, and toured museums across the United States. She was a professional and published illustrator for more than 35 years, including two dozen children's books, three of which she also wrote. Besides creating art, she finds herself an enthusiast of vintage collectibles, jukeboxes, signages, tin toys, neon lights, cookie jars, carnival chalkware, folk art, and an eclectic collection of fine crafts.

Words that describe this painting: owls, tattoos, woods, sunset, Botticelli, ethereal, portrait, trees, birds, animals, trees, nude, primitive, pattern, face, hair, acrylicpaint, eyes, large, animals, nudes, primitive, acrylic painting, orange

Sunset with Pygmy Owls
Johansen Newman
Acrylic painting on stretched canvas
Stained wood edges
Ready to hang
One-of-a-kind
Signed on front
2022
49.5 in. h x 37.5 in. w x 2 in. d
13 lbs. 0 oz.