Designer, painter, and public artist, Jeremiah Johnson is truly passionate about art.
Inspire(d) gets a look at the world through  his eyes.

By Michelle Pettit

I first met Decorah artist Jeremiah Johnson at an art retreat. He was in discovery mode and his enthusiasm transferred to the rest of us. Jeremiah came up with a tree-installation project that everyone worked on together. Then he shared found-art treasures: twisted-up wires, multi-colored shotgun shells in an array of rainbow colors, and finally a small tin box with pieces of torn-up photos inside. At first I thought this was an ironic joke of some kind. But when I got into an accepting mind, I saw the real point. This was interesting, just to move the colors of these photos around again and again, creating interesting shapes and endless combinations. We were piecing together a puzzle that never gets entirely solved.

There’s always a mix of things going on in Jeremiah’s works. Sometimes things may seem obvious, but then things are not only what they seem. Usually when I think I’ve figured something out about his art, I’m surprised again.

There is a definite constant though – Jeremiah is always enthusiastic about connecting people and ideas. There is a fresh and celebratory feeling to his devotion to art. He works on a variety of projects in his studio located behind Fancy Pants Clothing Boutique in Decorah. There you will find his nymph paintings, found object art, nature photographs, t-shirts and sculptures, and lots of raw materials for creating new works. Jeremiah took some time away from creating to talk about art as a meaningful quest.

I. Is there a theme or subject you would say you’re most drawn to in your art?
J. The main theme I like is living biology, plants, and growth, mind, and body.

I. Would you tell us about your one-man company, Big Bang.
J. I came up with the idea of “Big Bang” when I made a spiky papier-mache sculpture that reminded me of an explosion. It was inspired by the earth, with red and yellow fire and spirals of blue water. It was the idea of a beginning, a Genesis, creation.

The initial idea for my one-man company “Big Bang” was putting together a way to collaborate with people for celebrations, parties, and weddings; to help people get their ideas across, their vision and to meld it with mine in order to design an atmosphere for their event. A few years ago the idea snowballed, and like the Big Bang, started expanding. I was gathering ideas and being inspired by everything, mostly people. “Big Bang” is now an encompassing title for everything I do. I apply it to many things: to my art shows and to anything that happens in the studio; all my avenues – t-shirts, photography, sculpture, found-art, painting, and designing.

I. I read recently that an objective in life is to act with innocence and you will experience the unexpected, the exceptional, and the unpredictable. This is innocence as natural and unforced awareness. It seems you create spontaneously with this kind of innocence. How would you describe what happens when you feel your art is working?
J. When I silence my inner critic and let the images come, something develops I didn’t plan or expect. As I paint, the meaning evolves. I like a natural, spontaneous way of looking at things. I like my art to bleed into my life. I like art and life to merge. I want to see things in a new way – and live it.

I. What is your process of painting?
J. I just made a painting last night. Once it was done I realized how long it had been conceptualizing in me. Now that’s it done I see people who influenced me in it and things that inspired me. I can see StoryPeople friends in this painting; they’ve influenced me and I see them in my work.

This painting is one of my nymphs, a Honey Nymph. There is a mythology to the nymphs. In the Honey Nymph’s case, it started with her surrendering fears which allowed her to live. Once she did, flowers grew around her head and the bees came to pollinate the flowers and make the honey and she became the honeycomb and the cycle was complete. It is a nature story. I love to create stories about the nymphs. They’re nature incarnate and they have themes everyone can relate to – nurturing, love and surrender.

When we become who we are, we don’t have to put on masks. We are content and free. Free of labels and boundaries. I don’t think there really are boundaries. That’s why I like things big and to come off the canvas.

I. What is coming up for you?
J. I have a design project in June to make a  backdrop for a wedding.I’d like to do more 3D work, more sculptural. I am selling prints now at www.fostergraphs.com/default.php. I’ll have a summer show and will be participating in DRAC’s Art Walk. I’m also going to do a project in the former Sabor Latino building. I’m going to paint a mural on the elevator doors. I love working on big projects and on a big scale.

Whatever I do, I want to keep collaborating. I want others to be inspired to create.

To see samples of or purchase some of Jeremiah’s work, visit: www.fostergraphs.com/default.php. Some of his work will also be on display in the windows of Happy Joe’s through the Decorah Regional Arts Council’s Art Walk June 18 through July 6. See more information at: www.decoraharts.wordpress.com.

Michele Pettit graduated from Luther in 1992 as an English major; and took plenty of theater and art classes because she loved them. She’s been Library Director at McGregor Public Library since 1999, where she started a weekly writers group (which still meets every Wednesday). She enjoys journaling, looking for symbols in dreams and in waking life, writing poetry, painting, and reading.