Aron Michael Johnston

Aron Michael Johnston was born in Upland, CA in 1976 and moved to the
Willamette Valley in Oregon as a young child. He developed a love for drawing at
an early age - Calvin & Hobbs and comic book characters were early sources of
inspiration. After leaving high school Aron spent fifteen years working in the
construction industry as an electrician and project manager but continued to draw
in his spare time. In 2009 Aron enrolled at Drake University in Des Moines, IA
where he earned a BFA in painting in 2013. After graduation Aron moved to
Hershey, Pennsylvania where he discovered the drawing techniques of the 19th
century French tradition. He began a comprehensive, self-directed course of study
of these classical techniques through books and workshops. In 2016 Aron moved
back to the Willamette Valley, setting up a working studio in downtown Salem,
OR. He currently splits his time between studio-based Narrative, Figurative, and
Landscape paintings as well regular Plein Air painting excursions around Oregon
and abroad. Aron teaches weekly Drawing and Painting lessons out of his studio.

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.