Artist Statement By combining vintage paper ephemera, paint, various drawing media and found objects I create heavily layered mixed media paintings with bold color, strong composition and rich detail. Inspired by how accumulated everyday experiences create our histories, I love how mundane and monumental moments layer up to build the person we are. Better yet: when we interact with others who are built from their own experiences, not only do we add to one another’s histories just by meeting, we begin to find commonalities in many of our individual experiences. My abstract 2D work builds up layers of collage, paint and mark-making to create imaginary records of these moments converging. I approach each piece by engaging with the nostalgia called forth by vintage collage material, to which I add my own contemporary influence through line, shape, gesture and color. Planning and organization merge with spontaneity and surprise, elements recede into the background, then peek out between new marks. The result is a celebration of the complexity of a single moment. Artist Biography Megan Woodard Johnson is a mixed media artist living and creating in West Bend, Wisconsin. She received her BFA in Graphic Design and Fine Art Printmaking from Shepherd University in West Virginia. Johnson has shown her work in numerous juried group and solo exhibitions in the midwest taught workshops and completed multiple Artist Residencies. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections across and beyond the United States and is represented by multiple US Galleries. Johnson has curated exhibitions and has built connections with artists around the globe by offering courses and small group mentorships.