Richard Leo Johnson: Mini Bio
In 1976 Richard was honored with a Time Life New Discoveries nomination by James Van der Zee. His career as a fine art photographer was brief but rewarding.
He has a BFA from the University of Arkansas and an MFA from Louisiana Tech University.
His work was selected for several exhibits and private collections including the New Orleans Museum and The Arkansas Arts Center among other public and private collections.
After graduate school, in 1983, he landed a job with internationally renowned architectural photographer Timothy Hursley, in Little Rock AR.
Working in that environment spurred Richard’s interest in architectural photography.
In 1988 he started his own business and his fine art work took a back seat.
A few years later, in 1995 while living in a small mountain village is North East Arkansas, there was a devastating fire in a storage barn. Johnson and his wife, Jane, lost almost everything they owned. Furniture, antiques, books, and the whole of Johnson’s photography career over 3 decades—prints, negatives, everything—incinerated overnight. (this loss prompted Richard to peruse a career in music) see last paragraph and links.
They had put the loss behind them until just recently. Richard’s dear friend and assistant, Russ Powell, called him from Little Rock and asked him if he was sitting down. Russ had gone to his parent’s attic to look around when he saw an old box and peeked inside. There he discovered a large amount of black and white film: 4x5, medium format and 35mm. He said he had forgotten, but he had taken several hundred of Richard’s personal negatives and put them in his parent’s attic shortly before the fire. He was going to help organize and proof the images. The photos depict friends, family, landscapes, and strangers all taken in North Louisiana and South Arkansas in the late 70’s and mid 80’s.
The discovery of this, supposedly lost film, has brought together an intriguing collection of work, which cleverly describes daily life in unassuming places yet helps elevate the ordinary to a state of palpable observation.
Additionally, Richard is also an internationally acclaimed guitarist/composer. His idiosyncratic/ self-taught style landed him a contract with the prestigious Blue Note label in 1998. He released 2 CDs with Blue Note and subsequently released 3 CDs with Cuneiform records, and 2 independently.
Please visit www.richardleojohnson.com/about.html for more information.
richard@richardleojohnson.com
912 201 9484
In 1976 Richard was honored with a Time Life New Discoveries nomination by James Van der Zee. His career as a fine art photographer was brief but rewarding.
He has a BFA from the University of Arkansas and an MFA from Louisiana Tech University.
His work was selected for several exhibits and private collections including the New Orleans Museum and The Arkansas Arts Center among other public and private collections.
After graduate school, in 1983, he landed a job with internationally renowned architectural photographer Timothy Hursley, in Little Rock AR.
Working in that environment spurred Richard’s interest in architectural photography.
In 1988 he started his own business and his fine art work took a back seat.
A few years later, in 1995 while living in a small mountain village is North East Arkansas, there was a devastating fire in a storage barn. Johnson and his wife, Jane, lost almost everything they owned. Furniture, antiques, books, and the whole of Johnson’s photography career over 3 decades—prints, negatives, everything—incinerated overnight. (this loss prompted Richard to peruse a career in music) see last paragraph and links.
They had put the loss behind them until just recently. Richard’s dear friend and assistant, Russ Powell, called him from Little Rock and asked him if he was sitting down. Russ had gone to his parent’s attic to look around when he saw an old box and peeked inside. There he discovered a large amount of black and white film: 4x5, medium format and 35mm. He said he had forgotten, but he had taken several hundred of Richard’s personal negatives and put them in his parent’s attic shortly before the fire. He was going to help organize and proof the images. The photos depict friends, family, landscapes, and strangers all taken in North Louisiana and South Arkansas in the late 70’s and mid 80’s.
The discovery of this, supposedly lost film, has brought together an intriguing collection of work, which cleverly describes daily life in unassuming places yet helps elevate the ordinary to a state of palpable observation.
Additionally, Richard is also an internationally acclaimed guitarist/composer. His idiosyncratic/ self-taught style landed him a contract with the prestigious Blue Note label in 1998. He released 2 CDs with Blue Note and subsequently released 3 CDs with Cuneiform records, and 2 independently.
Please visit www.richardleojohnson.com/about.html for more information.
richard@richardleojohnson.com
912 201 9484
For further information about the show and to order prints from the exhibit "Once Was Lost".
Please write Richard at richard@richardleojohnson.com
The images are reproduced on archival museum quality matte rag paper. Print sizes available upon request.
Please write Richard at richard@richardleojohnson.com
The images are reproduced on archival museum quality matte rag paper. Print sizes available upon request.
