Colin Johnson has been a professional freelance illustrator and gallery artist since his graduation from The Maryland Institute College of Art in the Spring of 1995. His work has received honors from Print's Regional Design Annual, The Society of Publication Design, Communication Arts Illustration Annual, American Illustration, and Society of Illustrators Los Angeles from which he received the "Gold Award" in the editorial category for the Illustration West 43 contest and "Best In Show" for the the Illustration West 46 contest. Some of his freelance illustration clients include: American Airlines, The American Medical Association, Audubon, Better Homes and Gardens, The Chicago Tribune, Converse, Epoch Films, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, The New York Times, Newsweek, Raygun, Reader's Digest, Smithsonian, Time Inc., and U.S. News and World Report. He has recently been a part of gallery shows in: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Hamburg (Germany), Melbourne (Australia), and Rome (Italy). Colin lives and works in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
2017
Dada Centennial: Day of the Dead - NISA TOUCHON FINE ART, SANTA FE, NM. 2016-2017
2016
Small is the New Big - NISA TOUCHON FINE ART, SANTA FE, NM.
2013
Art Dorks Rise - SPACE:EIGHT, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL.
2011
The Blab! Show: A Group Invitational Celebrating The Joy Of Krampus - ROQ LA RUE GALLERY, SEATTLE, WA.
Double Helix - 2 person show w/ Jason Limon. G GALLERY, HOUSTON, TX.
2010
Don't Wake Daddy V - curated by Heiko Muller. FEINKUNST KRUGER GALLERY, HAMBURG, GERMANY.
Illustration Next - curated by Whitney Sherman. CASEWORKS GALLERY, BALTIMORE, MD.
100 Heads For Haiti - curated by Spur Design. SPUR GALLERY, BALTIMORE, MD.
Things To Come... - curated by Eric Althin & Colin Johnson. BOLD HYPE GALLERY, NEW YORK CITY, NY.
Innovate Love - Charity Auction. SILO POINT'S PENTHOUSE, BALTIMORE, MD.
Jibibuts Custom Show - curated by Noferin & Zury Ponce. MUNKY KING, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Sparkling Relevance - G GALLERY, HOUSTON, TX.
2009
The Brush Project 2 - Charity Auction. ROTOFUGI GALLERY, CHICAGO, IL.
Curio-logicals - GRASS HUT GALLERY, PORTLAND, OR.
Stop Traffick! - An art benefit show curated by Jason Proudler. BREW AWAKENINGS, BUFORD, GA.
Say When - BOLD HYPE GALLERY, ORLANDO, FL.
2008
Preternatural Behavior - CHARMINGWALL, NY, NY. (Solo)
Illustration Minnesota - CVA GALLERY, ST. PAUL, MN.
Pop & Pop Surrealism - curated by Antony Burgess. THE OLD FIRE STATION GALLERY,
HENLEY-ON-THAMES, UK.
Balls Out - GRASS HUT GALLERY, PORTLAND, OR.
Society of Illustrators L.A. - 46 West Group show. JUNC GALLERY, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Sideshow Pt. 2 - curated by Brad Benedict. ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY, SANTA MONICA, CA.
Groundwork II - FOUNDATION ONE GALLERY, ATLANTA, GA.
The New Mythology - DOROTHY CIRCUS GALLERY, ROME, ITALY.
Dreamscapes - DEFINITION GALLERY, BALTIMORE, MD.
Hank of Oz - THE ALCOVE GALLERY, ATLANTA, GA.
2007
Elevation - LIMITED ADDICTION GALLERY, DENVER, CO.
New Voices - curated by Seth Carmichael. PHANTOM GALLERIES, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Groundswell 2 - BLVD. GALLERY, SEATTLE, WA.
The Rising - WINDUP GALLERY, MESA, AZ.
Art Dorks Collective Group Show - THINKSPACE GALLERY, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Green House Effect - THE VENICE CONTEMPORARY, LOS ANGELES, CA.
The Favorites Show - OUTER EDGE STUDIO, MONTEREY, CA.
The Brush Project - Benefit Show Auction. DvA GALLERY, CHICAGO, IL.
Valley of the Hairdoos - GOODFORM SALON OF HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Source Material - curated by Jeremiah Ketner. GARDENfresh GALLERY, CHICAGO, IL.
Halloween Group Show - WINDUP GALLERY, MESA, ARIZONA.
Don't Wake Daddy II - curated by Heiko Muller. FEINKUNST KRUGER GALLERY, HAMBURG, GERMANY.
2006
Begin To Continue - curated by Colin Johnson. LILLIAN DAVIS HOGAN GALLERIES, WINONA, MN.
The UNK Board Show - UNKNOWN GALLERY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
Everything But The Kitschen Sync - LA LUZ DE JESUS, HOLLYWOOD, CA.
Society of Illustrators Los Angeles 44 - BILLY SHIRE FINE ARTS, CULVER CITY, CA.
3 Feet High - MAXWELLS, HOBOKEN, NJ.
Annual Tiki Show - DvA GALLERY, CHICAGO, IL.
It's All Wood - curated by Ryan Bubnis. RENOWNED GALLERY, PORTLAND, OR.
Wild Wild Midwest - curated by Colin Johnson. DvA GALLERY, CHICAGO, IL.
Don't Wake Daddy - curated by Heiko Muller. FEINKUNST KRUGER GALLERY, HAMBURG, GERMANY.
4 Person Group Show - BLVD GALLERY, SEATTLE, WA.
2005
Society of Illustrators Los Angeles 43 - FRODEN GALLERY, LOS ANGELES, CA.
Primary Red - PRIMARY SPACE GALLERY, DETROT, MI.
Split Four Ways - PRIMARY SPACE GALLERY, DETROIT, MI.
Soon And Very Soon - RENOWNED GALLERY, PORTLAND, OR.
L’il Big Fat - curated by Joshua Krause. MAGPIE GALLERY, SAN DIEGO, CA.
2004
Ghost Town - JONATHAN LEVINE’S TIN MAN ALLEY, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Eclectica - ARTHOUSE 60, ZIONSVILLE, IN.
2002
Everybody Draws - FLECKENSTEIN GALLERY, TOWSON, MD.
One-man Group Show - BERTAUX GALLERY, LUTHERVILLE, MD. (Solo)
Artist's Gallery Invitational 2002 - THE DELAPLAINE VISUAL ARTS CENTER, FREDERICK, MD.
2000
Baltimore Illustrators - BERTAUX GALLERY, LUTHERVILLE, MD.
Spots Exhibition - SOCIETY OF PUBLICATION DESIGN, NYC, NY.
1999
One-Man Illustration Show - ONE WORLD CAFE, BALTIMORE, MD. (Solo)
1995
Senior Show - MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART, BALTIMORE, MD.
Senior Design Show - MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART, BALTIMORE, MD.
1994
The House As A Concept - MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART, BALTIMORE, MD. (Solo)