Daniel Johnson

Born in Ft. Oglethorpe, GA in 1968, Daniel and his brother, Charlie, were moved around quite a bit - three years in Puerto Rico, then Texas, Florida and Georgia. Daniel's grandmother, also a self-taught artist, was a significant figure in his life. On Christmas Day, 1993, she passed away and Daniel was alone in her house, surrounded by her art supplies. It was during these weeks, while experimenting with paint, that he had an undeniable angelic experience - "This experience is still sometimes a rigmarole for me; my mind was illuminated with the reality of making art that pleased me. Basically, I was really down and lost, but at that point was given a gift that brought purpose to my life."

Things didn't flow easily for Daniel as he moved around for the next several years, but at the end of 1997 he picked up where he left off with his art. By the fall of 1999 Daniel had moved again and was living and working at a rescue mission in Hendersonville, North Carolina. His tiny room was also his studio and he spent his free hours painting and assembling things. It was here that he met his wife, Lauri, who was a teacher. Marriage brought stability to his life as he saw childhood prayers being answered, but it was five years later, with a wife and three children, that Daniel felt led to quit his 'real' job and pursue art.