Celebrate the life and art of Kris Johnson with ‘Joie de Vivre’ at Mars Hall Gallery

Mars Hall Gallery will celebrate the life and art of Kris Johnson with a show titled “Joie de Vivre.”

Johnson passed on Aug. 30, 2022, after a battle with cancer.

A reception with family and friends will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. June 25.

Johnson is attended Bennington Collage, Williams Collage, Boston University and earned a bachelor of science degree in law enforcement at Northeastern University before picking up a brush and discovering her passion for painting in 1988. She spent several decades with her life partner, Don Johnson, in Spain and Southeastern France. 

Johnson’s use of bold shapes and vibrant colors radiate through both her American and European paintings. Her subject matter expresses her love of the earth, her beloved animals and her compassion for humanity. 

“She reduces matter to geometric equivalents and then, through color, organizes into patterns. Simplification of form and an often arbitrary palette combine to express a world I often feel but seldom see,” stated Phil Isaacson in the Maine Sunday Telegram.

“Joie de Vivre” is a retrospective of Johnson’s work spanning over three decades including her last painting, “Au Revoir.” The show, currently being previewed, runs through July 9.

Mars Hall Gallery is located at 621 Port Clyde Road (Rt. 131) in Martinsville. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday through June 18 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday June 21 to Sept. 4. For more information, call 207-372-9996, visit marshallgallery.net or email [email protected].