Vignette: Sarah Johnson

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“Iconography has given me the opportunity to undergo a reflection and transformation…”
— Sarah Johnson

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"The Holy Trinity" by Sarah Johnson, 14x22in, graphite on paper (2017)

At this point, it is fair to say that all art speaks to tradition; even the most radical work usually sees Dadaism as an ancestor. There was a time when virtually the only way to make a living as an artist was to create religious imagery – the church was one of the only paying customers, and private collectors rarely wanted secular art, except for portraits. Iconography is not always religious, but the use of recurrent symbols and themes in churches arguably laid the foundation of how we think about such things. Sarah Johnson here picks up that tradition in designs that show fealty to the rigid, highly symmetrical compositional formula that were essential in this work, but with a soupcon of individual interpretation in the details of character.

“I have the opinion that art is supposed to reflect to its audience a message,” says Johnson. “I believe art has a very significant role to play in our daily and personal lives as well as having the capacity to influence our entire culture, spiritually and politically. The best examples of that kind of art have one thing in common: it touches the soul. I have a strong desire to share my belief and perspective and Iconography has given me the opportunity to undergo a reflection and transformation and to learn a time-tested medium. I aim to continue in my study in Iconography.”

So Johnson’s images are unabashedly ecclesiastical; a personal expression of spirituality rooted in the long and rich historical traditions employed by some of the greatest artists the world has known: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, not to mention untold numbers whose specific identity has been lost to time.

Hometown: Maysville, Kentucky
Age: 32
Education: Studied at the Art Academy of Cincinnati
Website: http://www.sarahcatherinejohnson.wordpress.com

"Christ Pantocrator" by Sarah Johnson, 14x22in, graphite on paper (2017)

"Archangel Michael" by Sarah Johnson, 14x22in, graphite on paper (2017)

"Saint Andrew" by Sarah Johnson, 14x22in, graphite on paper (2017)

Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2017 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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Vignette: Kayla Bischoff

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“The universal language of humanity spanning across time and geography informs my work.”
– Kayla Bischoff

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"Jibber Jabber" by Kayla Bischoff, 36x36in, acrylic on canvas (2015) $525 | BUY NOW

Masks have been a crucial element in religious iconography, particularly in primitive cultures, and by extension, visual art, which is, of course, how we know about those ancient worlds. Kayla Bischoff’s paintings are filled with faces rendered in simple terms that are nonetheless highly expressive. It is the most immediate way of identifying her work, and these most recent pieces reveal an ever-developing subtlety and variation in her painting. The artist describes it this way: “Gaping mouths, shrugging shoulders, flailing arms, and cackling faces occupy the surface in an overcrowded frenzy. On the surface my paintings are vibrant and playful; however, I invite the viewer to peer closer into the cluttered surface of detailed disorder to discover many of the abstracted figures experiencing some inner trepidation.”

“The style in which I paint is a balance of abstraction, representation, spontaneous expression, and conscious decisions. The characters are hurriedly drawn in frenzy, and then built upon with several layers of paint to enhance the depth of the surface. I convey my ideas in paintings because the immediacy allows for uninhibited mark making. The tactile nature of the paint feels authentic while connecting me to the earliest form of human visual expression.”

"Vamoose (diptych)" by Kayla Bischoff, 10x10in (each), acrylic on panel (2015) $275 | BUY NOW

In “Vamoose” the figures are strikingly evocative of famous ancient formations such as Stonehenge and Easter Island, and Bischoff is clear that the references are intentional: “I seek to create a connection between contemporary art and that of past civilizations. I reference ancient artworks, such as figurines and masks from various cultures — Andean, Mesoamerican, Japanese, African, Aboriginal, etc. The universal language of humanity spanning across time and geography informs my work. The use of stylized figures acts as a communicative shorthand of body language and facial expressions. I am also greatly inspired by modern artists such as Keith Haring, Jean Dubuffet, and Elizabeth Murray. Through the playfully chaotic layers of figurative abstraction, my work comments on the plight of the individual and humanity as a whole.”

"Alter Egos" by Kayla Bischoff, 60x40in, acrylic & fabric on canvas (2016) $825 | BUY NOW

Bischoff’s second solo show Push/Pull: Paintings by Kayla Bischoff will be on exhibit February 1 - 26 at the Krempp Gallery in Jasper, Indiana. There is an opening reception February 2, from 5-7pm.

Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Age: 24
Education: BA, (Magna Cum Laude) Studio Art: Painting Emphasis/Minors in Art History & Psychology, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY, 2014
Website: http://www.kaylabischoff.com/
Gallery Representative: Galerie Hertz

"The Watchers" by Kayla Bischoff, 24x26in, acrylic & fabric n canvas (2017) $475 | BUY NOW

"Don't Lose Your Head" by Kayla Bischoff, 40x40in, acrylic on canvas (2016) $625 | BUY NOW

"Petty Pile" by Kayla Bischoff, 48x30in, acrylic on canvas (2015) $575 | BUY NOW

Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2016 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved.

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