Carly Johnson

Bio

My body of work titled Something Happened Here is a reflection of my own experiences regarding mental health, mundane daily experiences, nostalgia, and light experimentation. During my fourth year attending UBCO, I chose to explore ways in which I could reminisce on the complexity of childhood locations throughout my hometown, juggling the duality of fond memories from childhood, and negative events that have taken place at these same locations later into my adult life. This has ultimately led to an emotionally charged set of works, while experimenting with a deepened contrast of lighting; a night scene lit by artificial, man made light sources.

I have continued with experimentation not only through content matter, but through materiality as well. Painting primarily with oil paint, I delved into using new mediums to deepen my work such as cold wax medium. This, in turn has allowed for a greater reflection regarding light sources. In addition, I have continued to work from my own reference pictures, shot on either my phone or camera.

By working with my own reference pictures, my paintings hold a great deal of emotion. I try to convey this by creating an enviroment in which the viewer can see the feeling of unease, uncertainty, and unknown. I seek to create a sense of fear regarding what lurks in the dark, directly relating back to the themes of mental health while remaining true to nostolgic locations.

I have found inspiration through classic painters such as Artemisia Gentileschi, and a contemporary artist Dragan Bibin.