“Art in the Valley” a new exhibit running from November 15th 2021 until November 21st 2022 will showcases the work of six local artists. Bonanzaville will be hosting an artist reception for the first artist featured in the exhibit on November 20th from 3pm to 5pm, printmaker Eric Johnson.
The youngest of six children, Eric A. Johnson was raised on a farm near Embden, North Dakota. He graduated from Chaffee High School in 1991 with a class of eight students. Taking an introductory art class at North Dakota State University sparked an interest in art he had always had; however, up to that point he had had no formal art training. Johnson dove in, taking all the art classes he could. After several years of study Johnson decided to focus on sculpture, but ultimately found that printmaking was his true passion.
From 2005-2018 Johnson served various positions at P.E.A.R.S (Printmaking Education And Research Studio) at NDSU’s Visual Arts Department. In 2016 he helped organize “Printober” with the Plains Art Museum and served as Master Printer through the program for editions by Canadian painter Ken Dalgarno and artist Star Wallowing Bull. An exhibition of 58 of Johnson’s prints traveled through North Dakota and Montana in 2010-2012 through a NDAGA exhibit.
Currently, Johnson is an adjunct instructor at Minnesota State Community and Technical College and serves on the board of the Fargo Moorhead Visual Artists. He continues to create new work from his printmaking studio (Big Oak Press) in the home he shares with his wife Dera, and children Ethan, Emmett, Evelyn, and Ezekiel in Hillsboro, ND.
Make sure to follow Bonanzaville’s Facebook page for more information about the showcase! For more information, please contact Kaitlynn Anderson at kanderson@bonanzaville.com or call (701)282-2822.