Kelly Johnston

Kelly’s work combines bold color and loosely applied paint to emulate the poetic interaction of sunlight on the water’s surface as well as the abstract qualities of clouds and sky. Working with water soluble oils and gouache, she uses fluid brushstrokes and atmospheric depth to evoke sunlit spaces and to highlight the organic patterns she finds repeated in nature. By attempting to capture the fleeting light of the landscape, Kelly hopes to convey a sense of wonder in her paintings, as well as an underlying reminder of the impermanence of our human experience.

Kelly Johnston earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting + Drawing with a minor in Art History from the University of Washington. A Seattle native, Kelly moved to Bainbridge Island in 2014 with her husband and two children. Most days she can be found working in her studio/gallery space in downtown Winslow – please stop by and say hello!