Pop surrealist painter Johannah O’Donnell tends to turn up the contrast on the wild cast of creatures and figures found in her acrylic works. These characters, who often times are found among cosmic landscapes, shine boldly with brilliant shades of purple, blue, and pink. Being a born and bred Floridian, it’s a wonder if the almost neon color palette is reminiscent of Johannah’s environment. Johannah paints with open body, also known as slow drying, acrylics on wood panels that are hand crafted by her husband, carpenter and sculptor Adriaan Mol. Her work is influenced by 70’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy art and the American Pop Art movement and uses figurative symbolism as a narrative surrounding ideas of the human condition.
Quickly becoming a familiar name in the new contemporary art scene, Johannah has shown with heavy hitting galleries such as Spoke Art, Gauntlet Gallery, and the former Bold Hype NYC. Often being invited to participate in various pop culture themed art shows, selected work of Johannah’s will be featured in an upcoming Wes Anderson book and recently her painting “Beneath, Between, and Behind” graces the cover of “Science & Magic“, the debut album from the internet’s favorite perma-kitten, Lil BUB. With more great projects on the horizon including a two person show alongside sculpturing designer Rebecca Rose at Gauntlet Gallery later this year, Johannah O’Donnell is definitely one to keep an eye on.
