Thibault Gallery will break new ground when it features its first teen artist with an installation by Anthony Johnson during the Art Walk and First Friday events from 5-8 p.m. on April 5.
During his preschool years, Johnson’s mother became aware of his natural talent when a teacher showed her a picture of a smiling face he had drawn. Since then, Johnson has attended art classes at Akrona Gallery and studied visual arts at Miller South School Of Performing Arts, both in Akron, Ohio. In August 2015, Johnson and his family moved to Beaufort, where he graduated from Beaufort Middle School and is currently attending Whale Branch Early College High School.
During his sophomore year in high school he began exploring different art forms. His art teacher showed him a new form of art using pen, Sharpie, and words from his heart. For Johnson, this became a powerful way to express his feelings onto paper. He quickly adopted this style, implemented his own little twists, and created what he calls “Journal Art.”
Johnson excels with expressing detailed visual representations of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Redd Fox, and, his most recent portrait, Pat Conroy. Each portrait is in Johnson’s own “Journal Art” style and masterfully filled with words produced through journaling. His caliber of work extends way beyond his age of 16.
