Artist Statement

“My work is rooted in the raw, untamed beauty of nature and shaped by my experiences in wildland fire. As a painter, I explore the delicate balance between destruction and renewal, chaos and calm. The landscapes I’ve witnessed - scorched earth, smoke-filled skies, and the quiet resilience of regrowth - are not just memories; they are stories I translate into colour, texture, and form. Each piece is both a memory and a prediction, a meditation on the power of nature and our place within it. I invite viewers to step into these painted worlds, to feel the heat, the quiet, and the hope that lives eternal in nature.” 
 

About the Artist

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Kris Johnson is a Jasper wildland firefighter and a visual artist with a deep reverence for the natural world - a reverence that continues to shape his artistic practice. Lessons in beauty, impermanence, and strength have been inspired by rugged landscapes, shifting skies, and the quiet resilience of nature in response to change. His journey has taken him across Canada, from coast to coast to coast, with each place adding new textures and perspectives to his work. Seeing the world through multiple lenses - each moment becomes an opportunity witness, reflect, and respond... and sometimes the best moments are captured in a sketchbook or on a canvas. At the heart of Kris Johnson’s practice is a desire to see things differently. His work is often inspired by moments of profound change - those fleeting, powerful shifts in nature and life that demand stillness, reverence, and attention. Through painting, he processes these understandings and invites viewers to pause, look closer, and consider the stories being told.

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