Carmen Cartiness Johnson
ARTIST STATEMENT
I enjoy story telling. My goal is to give the viewer situations in which they
can relate and enjoy. My catalog is a composed of acrylic paint on canvas, mixed
media on canvas and paper, watercolor, ink, charcoal and paper work.
My earlier acrylic works on canvas were pretty straight forward narratives
based on my past, books, movies, or a phrase in a song. My later works are more
abstract. Having a passion for old photographs and nineteen sixty’s and seventies
music, which is reflected in many of my pieces.
In addition, to figurative acrylic paintings, I create, multimedia work on
paper and canvas. These works are sometimes done in a series of ten. Each of the
ten having the same subject matter but a different color palette.
Looking back at older pieces, the work has evolved noticeably, not bad to
good or good to bad, but different. I like it!
I enjoy story telling. My goal is to give the viewer situations in which they
can relate and enjoy. My catalog is a composed of acrylic paint on canvas, mixed
media on canvas and paper, watercolor, ink, charcoal and paper work.
My earlier acrylic works on canvas were pretty straight forward narratives
based on my past, books, movies, or a phrase in a song. My later works are more
abstract. Having a passion for old photographs and nineteen sixty’s and seventies
music, which is reflected in many of my pieces.
In addition, to figurative acrylic paintings, I create, multimedia work on
paper and canvas. These works are sometimes done in a series of ten. Each of the
ten having the same subject matter but a different color palette.
Looking back at older pieces, the work has evolved noticeably, not bad to
good or good to bad, but different. I like it!
Carmen Cartiness Johnson
[email protected] www.CarmenCartinessJohnson.com
Rider University, Bachelor of Arts, 2007
EXHIBITIONS
2024 Carver Cultural Center, San Antonio, April-May, Solo
2024 Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago, Il, Black Creativity Juried Exhibition
2023 City of San Antonio, Between Yesterday & Tomorrow, March-November 2023
2022 City of San Antonio Status of Women’s Exhibition
2022 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2021 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, The Sitter, Portraiture June-August
2020 Blue Star Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2020 City of San Antonio Women’s Exhibition
2019 San Antonio Art League/Museum Nov- Dec
2018 San Antonio Tricentennial Celebration, Carver Center
2018 St.Philip’s College, I, Too Sing San Antonio, Apr. 2018-May 2018
2018 Chicago Museum Science and Industry, Jan. 2018-Feb. 2018
2017 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2015 Hunting Art Prize 2015, Finalist, May
2015 Freeman Coliseum, Two Commissions, January 2015
2014 Carver Cultural Center, San Antonio, TX, May
2013 UTSA, SEAS, Group Exhibition June 2013 - July
2012 United Health Systems, San Antonio, TX, Permanent Collection
2012 San Antonio Painters, Blue Star Art Contemporary Art Center, May-August
2012 African American Museum Dallas, Carroll Harris Simms National Competition,
2011 Carver Cultural Center, Solo Show May
2011 Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit Michigan, December 2010 - April
2010 80th. Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition,
2008 SAVA Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, October
2008 Parchman Stremmel Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, Solo Show May – July
2008 78th Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition, President Contributor Award, June
2007 GAGA Art Center, Garnerville, NY, Outsider Show, July
1 of 3
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I, TOO, SING SAN ANTONIO: An Exhibition at St. Phillip’s College of the Works of Local
African American Artists in Celebration of San Antonio’s Tricentennial, St. Phillip’s College,
2018.
Cassandra Parker-Nowicki: “Storytelling in San Antonio”, The International Review of
African American Art, vol. 27, No 1, 2017, p. 54-56
TheArtList.com. (2013). 2013 Artist of the Month: Carmen Cartiness Johnson. Web. 15 April
2016. URL = http://www.theartlist.com/aom_02_13.html.
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. (2010). “Framed Stories: The Art of
Carmen Cartiness Johnson and Jerome Wright.” Web. 22 April 2016. URL http://thewright.org/
index.php/explore/exhibitions/previous-exibitions?id=122.
COLLECTIONS
THE FREEMAN COLISEUM, SAN ANTONIO, TX 2015
UNITED HEALTH SYSTEMS, SAN ANTONIO, TX 2012, 2023
CHARLES A. WRIGHT MUSEUM, DETROIT, MI, 2010
RUTGERS CENTER FOR PRINT AND PAPER, 2005
“THE GET TOGETHER”, HAND PULLED LITHOGRAPH
The University of Maryland, David C. Driskell Center, 2017
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2008
Library of Congress Purchase “The Get Together“, July 2006
Hunterdon Museum of Art
Jersey City Museum
Montclair Art Museum
Morris Museum
Newark Public Library
New Jersey State Council on the Arts
New Jersey State Museum
Noyes Museum of Art
Zimmerli Art Museum
Colonial Burlington Foundation, Inc. 2001 painting; “Somethin Ain’t Right”
RESIDENCIES
2005 Rutgers Print and Paper, Brodsky Center, New Brunswick, New Jersey
2 of 3
WORKSHOPS
2010, Creative Capital, San Antonio, TX
AWARDS
78th Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition, President Contributor Award, June 2008
3
[email protected] www.CarmenCartinessJohnson.com
Rider University, Bachelor of Arts, 2007
EXHIBITIONS
2024 Carver Cultural Center, San Antonio, April-May, Solo
2024 Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago, Il, Black Creativity Juried Exhibition
2023 City of San Antonio, Between Yesterday & Tomorrow, March-November 2023
2022 City of San Antonio Status of Women’s Exhibition
2022 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2021 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, The Sitter, Portraiture June-August
2020 Blue Star Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2020 City of San Antonio Women’s Exhibition
2019 San Antonio Art League/Museum Nov- Dec
2018 San Antonio Tricentennial Celebration, Carver Center
2018 St.Philip’s College, I, Too Sing San Antonio, Apr. 2018-May 2018
2018 Chicago Museum Science and Industry, Jan. 2018-Feb. 2018
2017 Blue Star Contemporary Museum, Red Dot
2015 Hunting Art Prize 2015, Finalist, May
2015 Freeman Coliseum, Two Commissions, January 2015
2014 Carver Cultural Center, San Antonio, TX, May
2013 UTSA, SEAS, Group Exhibition June 2013 - July
2012 United Health Systems, San Antonio, TX, Permanent Collection
2012 San Antonio Painters, Blue Star Art Contemporary Art Center, May-August
2012 African American Museum Dallas, Carroll Harris Simms National Competition,
2011 Carver Cultural Center, Solo Show May
2011 Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit Michigan, December 2010 - April
2010 80th. Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition,
2008 SAVA Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, October
2008 Parchman Stremmel Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, Solo Show May – July
2008 78th Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition, President Contributor Award, June
2007 GAGA Art Center, Garnerville, NY, Outsider Show, July
1 of 3
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I, TOO, SING SAN ANTONIO: An Exhibition at St. Phillip’s College of the Works of Local
African American Artists in Celebration of San Antonio’s Tricentennial, St. Phillip’s College,
2018.
Cassandra Parker-Nowicki: “Storytelling in San Antonio”, The International Review of
African American Art, vol. 27, No 1, 2017, p. 54-56
TheArtList.com. (2013). 2013 Artist of the Month: Carmen Cartiness Johnson. Web. 15 April
2016. URL = http://www.theartlist.com/aom_02_13.html.
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. (2010). “Framed Stories: The Art of
Carmen Cartiness Johnson and Jerome Wright.” Web. 22 April 2016. URL http://thewright.org/
index.php/explore/exhibitions/previous-exibitions?id=122.
COLLECTIONS
THE FREEMAN COLISEUM, SAN ANTONIO, TX 2015
UNITED HEALTH SYSTEMS, SAN ANTONIO, TX 2012, 2023
CHARLES A. WRIGHT MUSEUM, DETROIT, MI, 2010
RUTGERS CENTER FOR PRINT AND PAPER, 2005
“THE GET TOGETHER”, HAND PULLED LITHOGRAPH
The University of Maryland, David C. Driskell Center, 2017
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2008
Library of Congress Purchase “The Get Together“, July 2006
Hunterdon Museum of Art
Jersey City Museum
Montclair Art Museum
Morris Museum
Newark Public Library
New Jersey State Council on the Arts
New Jersey State Museum
Noyes Museum of Art
Zimmerli Art Museum
Colonial Burlington Foundation, Inc. 2001 painting; “Somethin Ain’t Right”
RESIDENCIES
2005 Rutgers Print and Paper, Brodsky Center, New Brunswick, New Jersey
2 of 3
WORKSHOPS
2010, Creative Capital, San Antonio, TX
AWARDS
78th Annual San Antonio Artist Exhibition, President Contributor Award, June 2008
3