MDJohnsonArt.com - Original Artwork by Mark D. Johnson

About Mark

Hello. I'm a self-taught artist living in Lynchburg, Virginia with my wife, Laurel, newborn son, Lukas, and cat, Spritz. I've been painting on and off for over fifteen years, but took it up with renewed vigor in late 2004. Most of the paintings I've done this summer (2007) have been done on location. While it is challenging to keep up with the moving light when painting outdoors, I find it a particularly enjoyable activity (although things don't always go as planned!). I grew up in Jamestown, New York and also lived in both Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota for several years.

I graduated from North Park University in Chicago with a B.A. in English and high school teaching credentials. Seriously! I eventually got my start as a web developer in Minneapolis in 1997, and am now a senior application developer for Liberty University.

In 2005, I was a finalist for the Staples Invention Quest contest, in which I finished in the top three. Staples went on to produce my idea, and my invention, DigiFiles™ (scroll down) is now in Staples stores nationwide. It was a fun and surprising adventure.

In November 2000, I founded an online journal of opinion called The Partial Observer. As editor-in-chief, I've published over 2000 articles by many contributors, both amateur and professional.

I'm an avid jazz fan, and formerly played alto and soprano sax in a sextet called the Dextet around the Twin Cities. I enjoyed composing and arranging tunes for the band, and while music is still a strong interest, I've put the horns down for now as I concentrate on art.

Thanks for visiting!

Mark D. Johnson