"Douglas C. Johnson is a painter who explores the midwestern landscape with quiet exuberance. His long-term relationship with his surroundings in central Illinois provides the subject matter for his work. Using dramatic lighting, an expressive painterly style, and a sensual color palette, he creates paintings that reflect a reverence for and an expansive view of the American landscape in Illinois."

-Lisa Costello, Gallery Director at Parkland College, Champaign, IL

My paintings are a celebration of the Midwestern landscape, rooted in a lifelong connection to the prairies, fields, and skies of central Illinois. I approach each canvas with a reverence for the land, seeking to capture its quiet beauty and expansive spirit through dramatic lighting, expressive brushwork, and a vibrant, sensual color palette. The painting process is at the heart of my practice—a journey of exploration where I investigate the interplay of color and light, finding meaning in the everyday and often overlooked moments of the natural world.

For me, painting is an act of discovery, a way to engage deeply with place and to translate my emotional and sensory experiences into visual form. My work reflects a commitment to traditional painting techniques, embracing the physicality of pigment and surface to create single, cohesive images that resonate with authenticity. Each piece is an invitation to viewers to pause, to feel the life within the landscape, and to connect with the universal beauty of the world around us.

Johnson holds bachelor's and master's degrees in printmaking and painting from Illinois State University and a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Northern Illinois University. He has exhibited in Chicago at several galleries in the River North district, the Chicago International Art Exhibition, and he continues with an active exhibition schedule.

His work is in many private collections. He serves as the Executive Director of the McLean County Arts Center in Bloomington, IL.