Johanna Lerwick
Johanna Lerwick's enduring passion for animals and nature began as a child while living on her family's farm in Upstate New York. After living in Guam and other states in the U.S., Johanna returned to upstate New York where she currently resides. She was captivated by domestic and wildlife ever since she could remember, and her interest in animals and nature has inspired her to travel throughout the United States, Africa, the Amazon, Guam, Mexico and Tahiti to photograph animals in their natural surroundings.
When Johanna started painting, initially she painted landscapes and seascapes. She transitioned to painting wildlife when she remembered the encouraging words of her mother who suggested that she would enjoy painting wildlife more, and in 1994 she completed her first wildlife painting. Her choice of medium is oil paint because she loves the creamy smooth texture of oil paint and the ease that colors blend together.
When Johanna started painting, initially she painted landscapes and seascapes. She transitioned to painting wildlife when she remembered the encouraging words of her mother who suggested that she would enjoy painting wildlife more, and in 1994 she completed her first wildlife painting. Her choice of medium is oil paint because she loves the creamy smooth texture of oil paint and the ease that colors blend together.
Johanna's painting style is Realism and it was through independent study that she has learned techniques for rendering fur, feathers and other anatomical features of a variety of birds and wildlife. To ensure authenticity of her subjects she studies each animal in their natural habitat and paints them within their specific environment. The most important aspects of her paintings that she wants to convey are; direction, mood and a sensory communion with nature. When you experience Johanna's wildlife paintings, in the majority of her artwork your eyes are directed to the eyes of her animal subjects whose focus seem to rest beyond the canvas and you are left to wonder, "What has the animals attention?" She establishes mood in her compositions through color, and the manipulation light and shadow. Johanna paints using a multiple layer technique to build the density of the animal's fur and very fine brush stokes to create bird's feathers, and animal whiskers, her painstakingly detailed renderings gives the viewer the sensation of being able to reach out and touch the fur of the animal, or feel the wetness of it's coat as it swims or hunts in a river.
Johanna's enthusiasm and love for wildlife is expressed in her paintings and in her words, "With every painting I strive to capture the beauty of each animal/bird and hope to visually convey why these amazing creatures deserve to continue sharing this world with us. Each of us has the ability to make a difference - mine is through my art."
As a full time Artist, Johanna is living her dream career and her passion for wildlife extends beyond painting, as she also donates proceeds from some of her work toward animal conservation and wildlife educational programs.
by Leah Mealing
Affiliations:
Signature Member, AFC - Artists For Conservation
Associate Member, WAOW - Women Artists of the West
Associate Member, AWA - American Women Artists
International Guild of Realism - IGOR
Selected Exhibitions:
Current:
2021 Artists for Conservation Exhibit & Festival, Live Exhibit
at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver, BC, Canada
September 23 - September 26, 2021 & then will continue on the AFC Tour 2021/2022
Tour: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Jan. - March 2022)
Additional venues/schedule TBA
Solo Exhibitions:
2019 The Beauty Of Wildlife, Rogers Environmental Education Ctr., Sherburne, NY
2018 Wildlife Paintings, Mariea Brown & Raymond Loft Galleries, Norwich, NY
2017 On The Wild Side, The Harrington Gallery, Sidney, NY
2016 Essence Of Wildlife & Nature, Broad Street Gallery, Hamilton, NY
2014 Beauty Of Nature & Wildlife, Jill Kraft Gallery, Norwich, NY
2013 Exhibit Of Wildlife Oil Paintings, 6 On The Square, Oxford, NY
Johanna's enthusiasm and love for wildlife is expressed in her paintings and in her words, "With every painting I strive to capture the beauty of each animal/bird and hope to visually convey why these amazing creatures deserve to continue sharing this world with us. Each of us has the ability to make a difference - mine is through my art."
As a full time Artist, Johanna is living her dream career and her passion for wildlife extends beyond painting, as she also donates proceeds from some of her work toward animal conservation and wildlife educational programs.
by Leah Mealing
Affiliations:
Signature Member, AFC - Artists For Conservation
Associate Member, WAOW - Women Artists of the West
Associate Member, AWA - American Women Artists
International Guild of Realism - IGOR
Selected Exhibitions:
Current:
2021 Artists for Conservation Exhibit & Festival, Live Exhibit
at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver, BC, Canada
September 23 - September 26, 2021 & then will continue on the AFC Tour 2021/2022
Tour: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Jan. - March 2022)
Additional venues/schedule TBA
Solo Exhibitions:
2019 The Beauty Of Wildlife, Rogers Environmental Education Ctr., Sherburne, NY
2018 Wildlife Paintings, Mariea Brown & Raymond Loft Galleries, Norwich, NY
2017 On The Wild Side, The Harrington Gallery, Sidney, NY
2016 Essence Of Wildlife & Nature, Broad Street Gallery, Hamilton, NY
2014 Beauty Of Nature & Wildlife, Jill Kraft Gallery, Norwich, NY
2013 Exhibit Of Wildlife Oil Paintings, 6 On The Square, Oxford, NY
Group Exhibitions:
2021 Spring Online Show, Women Artists of the West
May 1 - July 1, 2021
2021 Spring Salon Online Exhibition, International Guild of Realism
March 20 - May 20, 2021 online IGOR, American Art Magazine & QC Fine Art
2021 51st. Annual National Exhibit and Sale, Women Artists of the West
February 6 - March 19, 2021 at The Museum of Western Art
Kerrville, TX
2020 Artists for Conservation Festival, Virtual Online Exhibit
Opening October 1,2020
Vancouver, BC
2020 WAOWing the Wind River Valley Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
June 15 - July 30, 2020 online WAOW (due to the pandemic cancelled at the
Headwaters Art & Conference Center, Dubois, WY)
2020 Spring Salon Online Exhibition, Ientrnational Guild of Realism
March 20 - June 20, 2020 online IGOR, American Art Magazine & QC Fine Art
2020 Central Adirondack Art Show
April 4 - May 31, 2020 at the View, Old Forge, NY
2020 41st. Fine Art Show - Cancelled due to pandemic.
April 24 - May 3, 2020 at Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
2020 50th. Anniversary National Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
March 25 - April 17, 2020 at Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, AZ
2019 Harvest Home, 2019 - Online Exhibit, Women Artists of the West
October 15 - December 31, 2019 Group Exhibition
2019 49th Annual National Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
Sept. 12 - Oct. 12 at Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder, CO
2019 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "High Country - Cougar"
2019 April, She Will Come, 2019 - Online Exhibit, Women Artists of the West
2018 Yosemite Renaissance 33 Show, Yosemite Museum Gallery, Yosemite Valley, CA
Kings County Art Center, Hanford, CA
Carnegie Arts Center, Turlock, CA
Gallery 5, Oakhurst, CA
2018 9th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2018 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
2018 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "Night Visitor - Barn Owl"
2017 7th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2017 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Won the Outstanding Adirondack Themed award, "Along An Autumn Path"
2017 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won 3rd. Place in the Painting category, "Autumn Highlights"
2016 6th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2016 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Awarded in the Master Division, "Morning Light - Moose"
2015 A Show Of Thanks - Art Giving Back, Broad Street Gallery, Hamilton, NY
2015 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Won 2nd Place in the Painting category, "Tranquility"
2015 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "Into The Light - Zebra"
2014 79th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 77th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 Essential Art Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
2021 Spring Online Show, Women Artists of the West
May 1 - July 1, 2021
2021 Spring Salon Online Exhibition, International Guild of Realism
March 20 - May 20, 2021 online IGOR, American Art Magazine & QC Fine Art
2021 51st. Annual National Exhibit and Sale, Women Artists of the West
February 6 - March 19, 2021 at The Museum of Western Art
Kerrville, TX
2020 Artists for Conservation Festival, Virtual Online Exhibit
Opening October 1,2020
Vancouver, BC
2020 WAOWing the Wind River Valley Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
June 15 - July 30, 2020 online WAOW (due to the pandemic cancelled at the
Headwaters Art & Conference Center, Dubois, WY)
2020 Spring Salon Online Exhibition, Ientrnational Guild of Realism
March 20 - June 20, 2020 online IGOR, American Art Magazine & QC Fine Art
2020 Central Adirondack Art Show
April 4 - May 31, 2020 at the View, Old Forge, NY
2020 41st. Fine Art Show - Cancelled due to pandemic.
April 24 - May 3, 2020 at Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
2020 50th. Anniversary National Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
March 25 - April 17, 2020 at Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, AZ
2019 Harvest Home, 2019 - Online Exhibit, Women Artists of the West
October 15 - December 31, 2019 Group Exhibition
2019 49th Annual National Exhibition, Women Artists of the West
Sept. 12 - Oct. 12 at Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder, CO
2019 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "High Country - Cougar"
2019 April, She Will Come, 2019 - Online Exhibit, Women Artists of the West
2018 Yosemite Renaissance 33 Show, Yosemite Museum Gallery, Yosemite Valley, CA
Kings County Art Center, Hanford, CA
Carnegie Arts Center, Turlock, CA
Gallery 5, Oakhurst, CA
2018 9th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2018 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
2018 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "Night Visitor - Barn Owl"
2017 7th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2017 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Won the Outstanding Adirondack Themed award, "Along An Autumn Path"
2017 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won 3rd. Place in the Painting category, "Autumn Highlights"
2016 6th Annual Nature & Wildlife Exhibition, St. Augustine Art Assn., FL
2016 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Awarded in the Master Division, "Morning Light - Moose"
2015 A Show Of Thanks - Art Giving Back, Broad Street Gallery, Hamilton, NY
2015 Central Adirondack Art Show, View, Old Forge, NY
Won 2nd Place in the Painting category, "Tranquility"
2015 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Won the Daniel Tennant award for realism, "Into The Light - Zebra"
2014 79th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 77th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 Essential Art Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Cooperstown Art Assn. Galleries, NY
2012 Jericho Fine Art Show, Jericho Arts Council Gallery, Bainbridge, NY
Competitions:
2016 The Artist Magazine Art Competition, Animal category
Awarded Finalist for "Solitude - Snowy Owl"
2014 The Artist Magazine Art Competition, Animal category
Awarded Finalist for "Geese In Flight" and "Silent Hunter"
2016 The Artist Magazine Art Competition, Animal category
Awarded Finalist for "Solitude - Snowy Owl"
2014 The Artist Magazine Art Competition, Animal category
Awarded Finalist for "Geese In Flight" and "Silent Hunter"
Publications:
2018 Ones To Collect October 2018 issue pg. 105 Southwest Art Magazine
2017 Jurors' Choice January 2017 issue pg. 75 Southwest Art Magazine
2018 Ones To Collect October 2018 issue pg. 105 Southwest Art Magazine
2017 Jurors' Choice January 2017 issue pg. 75 Southwest Art Magazine
Representation:
Heartwood Gift Barn, 8072 NY-12, Sherburne, NY
Harrington Gallery - Permanently Closed
Broad Street Gallery - Permanently Closed
Harrington Gallery - Permanently Closed
Broad Street Gallery - Permanently Closed
See Johanna's original artwork and giclee fine art prints available.
