Featured Artist: Cameo Johnson

Came Johnson "Charcoal Fields of IL 164" charcoal, $60

The March/April BCA Featured Artist in the James Keefe Gallery is Cameo Johnson.

Cameo Johnson is an artist, born and raised in Monmouth, IL. At the center of her work is a deep connection to nature and the structure of the landscape. Johnson's work consists of photography, charcoal drawings, oil pastel and acrylic paintings.

When capturing moments through photographs, Cameo Johnson strives to hold the ambiance and emotion from her experiences in nature. There’s something about being surrounded by trees, natural elements, and the morning light that brings immense peace and freedom for her to exist authentically. She experiences childlike wonder, restored curiosity, and creativity. Nature restores.

While Johnson's time in nature is deeply emotive, her fascination with drawing and painting the Midwest fields and horizon runs almost compulsively. She is always studying the fields, sky and landscape, envisioning how she would lay out the lines, and how she would paint the trees and barns that appear to be dropped perfectly on the fields where sky meets land. While Cameo has worked from a photograph or plein air, most often she creates from memory or imagination.

Cameo Johnson studied art education at Monmouth College, graduating in 2009 with a BA. After school, she worked as an administrative assistant at OSF Medical Group and later as an office secretary for United West Elementary. Johnson continues to work at United schools, helping as a paraprofessional substitute in special education and prekindergarten. She has been a classroom Art Presenter through the Buchanan Center the past few years. In 2020, Cameo began sharing and selling her artwork online through social media and later at local vendor events. She does commission work and donates art to local charities and auctions. One special piece went to auction and was chosen to be on permanent display at the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Peoria, IL.

Stop in and see Cameo Johnson's work on display through April 30.