Clay Johnson was born and raised in Durham, NC, where he studied art and art history at Duke University, receiving a B.A. degree in 1985. He then worked for several years as assistant to painter Robert Natkin in Connecticut and New York City.
In 1998 he began exhibiting paintings from his first series of mature work, which was loosely grid-based, and was inspired by the paintings of Paul Klee, such as Ancient Sound. Since then Clay’s work has been exhibited at galleries across the United States and in Europe. His work is represented in collections around the world.
He began his current series of work shortly after relocating to Wyoming, and, while essentially non-objective, the paintings contain a sense of the wide open landscape of the American West.
Clay currently lives and works in Laramie, Wyoming.
Born 1963, Durham, North Carolina
EDUCATION
1985 BA in Studio Art & Art History, Duke University, Durham NC
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Clay Johnson: New Paintings, William Havu Gallery, Denver
2023 The Atomic Paintings, Mark Moore Fine Art, Los Angeles (on Artsy)
2021 Beneath the Surface, William Havu Gallery, Denver
Over the Line: New Paintings by Clay Johnson, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
2020 Wide Open Spaces, 425 Market Street, San Francisco
The Wide Open Landscape, 555 California Street, San Francisco
Clay Johnson: New Paintings, Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery, Mill Valley CA
2019 Latitude: New Paintings by Clay Johnson, George Billis Gallery LA, Los Angeles
Clay Johnson: New Paintings, William Havu Gallery, Denver
2018 New Paintings by Clay Johnson, George Billis Gallery, New York
2017 The Connected Edge, William Havu Gallery, Denver
2016 Wide Open: New Paintings by Clay Johnson, Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco
2003 Clay Johnson: New Paintings, District Fine Arts, Washington DC
2002 Clay Johnson: New Paintings, District Fine Arts, Washington DC
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 The Modern Landscape, Kim Eagles-Smith Fine Art, Mill Valley CA
2023 Good Will, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
From All Angles, William Havu Gallery, Denver
Spring Selections, Madelyn Jordon Fine Art, Scarsdale NY
2022 ArtMarket SF (Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery), San Francisco
Good Will: A Group Exhibition, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
2021 Architecture Shape & Color, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
Poets: A Group Exhibition, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
2020 Glean: Select Gallery Artists, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
Abstraction: Old Friends, New Faces, Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery, Mill Valley CA
2019 Glean: Select Gallery Artists, Page Bond Gallery, Richmond VA
The Modern Landscape, Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery, Mill Valley CA
Luxembourg Art Prize Finalists Exhibition, La Pinacothèque, Luxembourg City
2018 SOFA (George Billis Gallery), Chicago
Selected Abstracts, George Billis Gallery LA, Los Angeles
Summer Group Show, George Billis Gallery, New York
Art Market SF (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), San Francisco
Art Palm Springs (George Billis Gallery), Palm Springs
2017 New Acquisitions, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie WY
Art Market SF (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), San Francisco
Art on Paper (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), New York
2016 ArtMarket Hamptons (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), Bridgehampton NY
ArtMarket SF (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), San Francisco
2015 Art Silicon Valley (Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery), San Mateo CA
2004 Art of the Twentieth Century (Samson Fine Arts), Park Avenue Armory, New York
2002 Gallery Artists, Samson Fine Arts, New York
Poetic Minimalism, District Fine Arts, Washington DC
Works on Paper (Samson Fine Arts), Park Avenue Armory, New York
2001 Gallery Artists, Samson Fine Arts, New York
Works on Paper (Samson Fine Arts), Park Avenue Armory, New York
2000 Works on Paper (Samson Fine Arts), Park Avenue Armory, New York
1999 Small Works, District Fine Arts, Washington DC
Talent 1999, New Artists/New Works, Samson Fine Arts, New York
Works on Paper (Samson Fine Arts), Park Avenue Armory, New York