Jackson Free Press

Tyler Johnson, a local artist and teacher at Forest Hill High School, tries to capture the aesthetic depths of marine life in much of his artwork, which he says is loosely impressionistic and abstract.

"I really have a need to make things, (and) what I make almost always puts emphasis back on one of God's creatures," Johnson says. "I have an affinity for marine life. I love nature. I love fishing."

Johnson says he paints what he sees when interacting with animals and nature. "A lot of the stuff that I do are things I see when I go fishing, or creatures that live in the ocean, from salt to swamp," he says.

Johnson, 36, was born and raised in Jackson and attended Forest Hill High School. He was heavily involved with soccer at Hinds Community College.

It was at Hinds that Johnson also discovered his interests in drawing and arts. The artist says that one of his biggest inspirations was a professor at the college, Gary Walters.

"He was really good for me because he is a very loose artist, and I am as well," Johnson says.

Johnson transferred to the University of Mississippi, where he majored in art with an emphasis in graphic design. He graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in art. While studying at UM, he also developed a love for working with his hands, creating ceramics, painting and even making signs.

"I love building stuff with my hands, and I love painting, as well," he says. "Those are really my two loves: pottery and painting."

Although he has been successful in digital graphic design, Johnson says he enjoys crafting physical artwork more.

"Honestly, I'm more of an old soul; I kind of hate sitting in front of the computer," Johnson says.

"That's why I do like (creating) signs. ... I quickly get to get away from the computer and get saws and build stuff."

Johnson recently had several paintings on display at Tougaloo College for the Mississippi Art Educators Conference. He displayed two of his newest paintings, in which he combines pixelated images with natural art.

"As a graphic designer, I hate seeing pixels, but I started thinking, 'I wonder if there is a way I can somehow factor in pixels into something being in high resolution, as well in my paintings,'" he says.

When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amanda Johnson, and his two kids, Cami, 7, and Jonah, 3.