About the artist

Born near St Louis, Missouri in the sixties, James W. Johnson has spent much of his life exploring the beauty of God`s artistry and creations…..

Onyx and Me

Photography has always been a strong influence in Johnson`s life from the time he joined his hometown volunteer fire department. Spraying water on the fire, though, was never as important to him as driving and operating the fire trucks and equipment, and photographing fire and rescue scenes. Engineering fire trucks, photography, and helping others in need continue to be strong passions in his life even today.
While attending college, he studied fire science and criminal justice, and actively worked with the Photography Club, studying Fine Arts and learning to develop and print all types of films.

When employment in his field of study looked dismal, Johnson turned to his love of photography and opened his own photofinishing lab and studio operation in the mid 80`s. After twenty years of general portraiture and commercial photographic work, Johnson again changed fields and began another career in emergency services, again helping people in need.

In 1995, Johnson photographed and co-produced a calendar of male and female models intertwined into a firefighting theme, traveled statewide with his models and photographed them at several fire stations and museums to produce the calendar cover as well as the interior layouts. Four posters were also photographed and produced during this time, and were successfully marketed and distributed worldwide.

Some of his commercial work has included photographing male and female models on four wheelers and jet ski watercraft for local dealers. Some of his fire and rescue images also made it inside the pages of Firehouse Magazine over the years of service to his fire department, spanning a total of nearly forty years of service.

Johnson enjoys the beauty found in God`s creations such as sunsets and sunrises, wildlife, landscapes in all seasons, steam trains, waterfalls and fireworks to name but a few. He also restarted his love of collecting minerals and gemstones in the past few years and travels frequently to join  other rockhound friends in the pursuit of beautiful treasures. Here you will find many of his adventures chronicled with photos of his newly found treasures. Onyx, his beautiful Border Collie, often travels with him on his adventures.

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