Johnny DeFeo is an American artist from Colorado. He creates artworks, textiles, and tufted yarn wall hangings, all of which belong to the concept of souvenir, attempting to capture the experiences he has in the natural world, where he feels free and most at home.
The most interesting situations that I find in my art career are generally spending time in places that I never would have imagined myself going to if it hadn’t been for an opportunity provided by my career as an artist. For example, in just the last year, I have found myself painting in some of my favorite places all over the globe with some of my favorite artists from different countries. Five years ago, I co-founded an artist residency with Aaron Zulpo called Adventure Painting. Last year we took four artists to Banff National Park in Canada for 10 days, and we are currently on a trip to Yellowstone with 4 more amazing artists – some of my favorite painters in the whole world! I have also painted in New Mexico with Will Bruno and Raychael Stine, the tropical Florida wilderness with a great artist named Magnus Sodamin and the aspen trees of Crested Butte, Colorado with my best friend Patrick Duke. All in the last year! I would say having a chance to talk about art and life with these people I feel lucky to connect with through our shared work, all while making paintings and learning about nature, are the situations I find most enlivening and interesting about my career as an artist.
@johnnycakesdefeo
