Wehrle Gallery Exhibition Opening
December 12, 2002
The Wehrle Gallery at Ohio Dominican University will host an exhibition featuring Roman Johnson. The exhibition will run from Sunday, December 15, 2002 through January 30, 2003. The University will be having an exhibition "celebration" on Sunday, January 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., which is free and open to the public.
At the celebration, Dr. Johnson will be recognized for being awarded the Ohio Governor's Arts Award in the Individual Artist category. This prestigious award is given for a lifetime of achievement in the arts. Ohio Dominican honored Roman Johnson for his impact on the arts in 1998 when it presented him with an honorary degree, doctor of humane letters.
Dr. Johnson has been called a senior statesman of Columbus painters. Throughout his career, he has used his experiences as an African artist of American descent, and his role as a bridge between African American culture of the past and of the future, as subjects for his paintings.
He has influenced several generations of local artists and even now in his '80s, continues to be a mentor to young artists. The exhibition at Ohio Dominican will look at Dr. Johnson as a teacher. It will focus on the works of several of his young students, particularly on 16-year-old Evan Nabrit. "I think Evan is a tremendous young artist and I am very pleased to share his works with other people," said Dr. Johnson. Nabrit, who has studied under Dr. Johnson for several years, creates pencil drawings.
Dr. Johnson's exhibition will also be his own personal thank you to those artists who were so important in his formation, such as Emerson Burkhart, Edwin Dickinson, Ernest Fiene and Yasuo Kuniyoshi, whom Dr. Johnson studied with in New York City at the Art Students' League.
