Born in Lafayette, California where he now lives with his wife, Gail, and two children, Scott's artistic gift was recognized early and encouraged throughout his youth. While earning a BFA in Illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, he was introduced to the work of several 19th century artists who would later influence his gallery work. Under the instruction of colorist, Dan McCaw, Scott studied John Singer Sargent, Jouquin Sorolla, Anders Zorn and Nicoli Fechin. The commonality among these greats that so impresses Scott is what he describes as “Reductive Realism”. Their ability to convey a subject's essence in the simplest of terms without sacrificing its character or capacity for conveying the message at hand.

Scott went on to pursue a career as a freelance illustrator specializing in realism. It was then that he developed his strong skills in draftsmanship and design that are reflected today in his fine art. His work appeared on bill boards, packaging, magazine ads, and CD covers for numerous well-known corporate clients.

Although he enjoyed the challenges that illustration provided, Johnston wanted the fulfillment that comes through pursuing and sharing his own artistic vision and so he turned to fine art. Inspiration for the work comes from life experience and typically involves play of light, harmony of color and fluid forms. His subject of choice is increasingly the most classical (and challenging) of subjects-the human figure-although his body of work also includes landscapes, still lifes, anything that sparks inspiration or merits esteem.

The power and beauty of his paintings comes from a mastery of his technique which allows the experience at hand to be the primary focus. The method supports rather than supplants the message, as confident, sensitive brushwork sustains the content of the work without over powering it.

Scott's belief is that art's highest purpose should be to celebrate truth, goodness and beauty as non-relative universal virtues. “These are wonderful gifts afforded us by our Creator and are a reflection of the spiritual attributes God possesses and so lavishly shares with all who seek him. That these virtues in their physical understanding can be an end in and of themselves is a worthy goal of many artists. However, it is when these physical virtues awaken us to their spiritual counterparts found in God that they truly fulfill their ultimate purpose.”

“I came to realize that the beauty that I seek is God”

Scott Johnston