Mark Johnston is a British painter who works within the tradition that has flourished with vigour in England, from the Norfolk school through Turner to the St. Ives School, notably Peter Lanyon.
Influences from abroad include Rembrant and Whistler, with their masterly use of light and atmospheric qualities, as well as more recent painters such as Cy Twombly , Antoni Tapies, and Anselm Kiefer, with their alchemy and freedom . Johnston also pays respect to 1950s’ abstract expressionists, and in particular Franz Klein.
Johnston describes his process as the build up of layers of sediment. Landscapes are his starting point, but from here on out he reacts instinctively to keep the work alive, keeping a clear mind about what he wants the paint to do and what the paint does itself. ‘The end is not planned until the painting has a mystique and soul of its own,’ he says.
Most recently, his work has been exhibited at Fairfax Gallery in London and Gallerina in Darlington.