In San Francisco, two towering buildings are showcasing the large-scale artworks of Mitchell Johnson. The exhibition at 425 Market Street, titled Large New England Landscapes (Selected Paintings 2008-2025), highlights Johnson’s frequent painting expeditions to New England since 2005, with pieces inspired by Cape Porpoise, Maine, and Cape Cod. Meanwhile, at 555 California Street, Giant Abstract and Landscape Works (Selected Paintings 2012-2025) displays 11 substantial canvases, including the newly created ‘Race Point Bench’ (2026), influenced by artists Giorgio de Chirico and Giorgio Morandi, along with ‘Tokyo’ (2012-2014), reflecting Johnson’s travels to Japan.
Joan Ludman, renowned for her work on Fairfield Porter, discussed Johnson’s artistry in her 2014 monograph Color as Content, emphasizing his mastery of color, pattern, and form. Ludman noted Johnson’s efforts to merge Morandi’s compositional sensitivities with Albers’ color intelligence, while also drawing inspiration from artists like Bonnard, Vuillard, and Porter himself. Johnson’s artistic journey, as Ludman describes, reveals his deep connection to these influences.
Art critic Lee Roscoe, writing for Artscope Magazine in 2021, observed that Johnson prioritizes color and shape over literal subjects in his paintings. Roscoe remarked that Johnson’s landscapes, whether of Europe, New York, or San Francisco, evoke a strong sense of place through their distinct color and form. Susana Byers, in her 1997 American Artist Magazine article, quoted Johnson on his meticulous process, where composition and color are central to his work, often leading him to start over if elements do not harmonize.
With his paintings featured in 700 private collections and 40 museum collections, Johnson’s art has been celebrated in two museum retrospectives. Fans of his work can anticipate a new exhibition of his smaller paintings at Galerie Mercier in Paris this March. For further information, visit his website or follow him on Instagram at @mitchell_johnson_artist. To request a digital catalog, email mitchell.catalog@gmail.com.
