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“The sense of excitement and awe that I derive from time spent observing and photographing nature is what I try to impart in every painting. My goal is to paint a portrait of an individual animal or place and share with the viewer a unique moment in our natural world."

Born near St. Louis, Missouri, Becky Johnson spent her childhood traveling extensively with her military family. From her earliest years, drawing has been her primary creative outlet, and after moving to Colorado in l972, she began to pursue painting as a full-time career.

Becky’s distinctive style in the dry medium of pastel is self-taught. After an early focus on painting wildlife, landscape has become her primary subject in recent years. Photos often provide reference for new studio work, and in 2005 an opportunity to paint “en plein air” added another exciting element to her landscape painting. She is especially intrigued by light and often chooses to light a scene with early morning or late afternoon sun.

Becky participates in juried and invitational exhibits and her work has received numerous regional and national awards. Her paintings are included in collections throughout the United States and overseas and are available in number of self-published reproductions.

She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, the Pastel Society of the West Coast, and the Pikes Peak Pastel Society.

"Pastel is a challenging medium in which to work. It’s a little like painting with pure pigment. There are no brushes or palettes or thinners; the colors are applied and mixed directly on the paper surface, which allows for an unequalled spontaneity and brilliance. I work on a variety of paper textures and colors, which also affects the finished painting. It is a long-lasting medium that with proper framing and care will retain its luminous qualities for generations."

Recent awards:
2022
President's Award, Arizona Pastel Artists Association 2022 International Exhibition
         and Sale at the Phippen Art Museum
2021
Terry Ludwig Award, Pastel Society of Colorado Mile High Exhibition
2020 Accepted Painting, IAPS 37th Juried Exhibition
2020
Accepted Painting, Pastel Society of America’s Annual Enduring Brilliance Exhibit
2020
Sponsor’s Award, Pastel Society of Southern California International Exhibit
2019 and 2016
Accepted Painting, Pastel Society of America’s Annual Enduring Brilliance
         Exhibit New York, also included with 20 paintings from the PSA 44th Annual Exhibition
         which hung at the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
2019
Accepted Painting, IAPS Juried Exhibition, 2019 Convention Show
2019
First Place, Pastel Society of Colorado’s Small Works Show
2019
Honorable Mention, Pastel Society of Colorado’s Mile High National show
2018
Third Place, Art of the Pastel, Pastel Society of Southeast Texas
2018
Sponsor’s Award, Arizona Pastel Artists Association 2018 Open Juried Exhibition
2017
Artist’s Choice, Windows to the West Invitational Art Show, Estes Park, Colorado
2017
Accepted painting, IAPS 30th Juried Exhibition, 2017 Convention Show
2017
First Place, Two Dimensional, Art Fair at Queeny Park, St. Louis, MO
2016
Ruth Richeson Pastel Gold Award, Pastel 100 Competition, Pastel Journal
2016 Finalist in the Artistic Excellence Competition, Southwest Art Magazine
2016 Pikes Peak Pastel Society Award and the Glaser Frames Award,
         The Pastel Society of Colorado’s 2016 Mile High International
2016 Bronze Award, 2016 Great Lakes Pastel Society National Exhibit
2016 First Prize, General Membership, 2016 Pastel Society of the West Coast Membership Show
2015 Finalist in the Artistic Excellence Competition, Southwest Art Magazine
2015 Jack Richeson & Co. Gold Award—29th Pastels USA, Haggin Museum, Stockton, California
2014 Best of Show 2D—48th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2013 Award of Excellence—47th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2012 Award of Excellence—46th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2011 Best 2D—Mulvane Art Museum’s Mountain/Plains Art Fair, Topeka, Kansas
2010 First Place 2D—44th Annual Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2010 Second Prize, Animals and Wildlife Category, Pastel 100, The Pastel Journal
2009 First Place 2D—43rd Annual Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2009 People’s Choice—Douglas Invitational Art Show, Douglas, Wyoming
2009 Best Framing Award—American Plains Artists 25th Anniversary Art Show, Odessa, Texas
2008 Award of Excellence—Mosaics, Missouri Festival of the Arts, St. Charles, Missouri
2008 Publisher’s Award—Art of the West, American Plains Artists 24th Annual Juried Exhibit and
         Sale, Midland, Texas
2008 First Place Drawing/Pastels—Castle Rock ArtFest, Castle Rock, Colorado
2008 Best of Show 2D—Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2007 Juror’s Award—Castle Rock ArtFest, Castle Rock, Colorado
2007 Best of Show/First Place—26th Annual Fine Art Fair and Wine Fest, Washington, Missouri
2006 First Place-Professional—Victor Celebrates the Arts Plein Air Competition, Victor, Colorado
2005 Best of Show-Landscape—Operation Wildlife Art Show, Overland Park, Kansas
2005 Best of Show-Fine Art—Evergreen Arts Festival, Evergreen, Colorado
2005 Best of Fine Art—Castle Rock ArtFest, Castle Rock, Colorado
2004 Best of Show—Arts for All, Lawton, Oklahoma

 

Museum Collections:

- The pastel paintings Lookout-Hummingbird and Coming Rain are included in the permanent collection of the Mulvane Art Museum, Topeka, Kansas.
- The pastel painting Prairie Evening is including in the permanent collection of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.
- The pastel painting River Sunset was part of the Art in Embassies Program.
- Two pastel paintings were featured in articles in the January/February 1993 and March/April 1993 issues of Wildlife Art News magazine.

 


719-650-5824

beckyjohnsonpastels@yahoo.com



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