Brett Allen Johnson

Brett Allen Johnson is a contemporary Western painter whose work fuses modern abstraction with the iconography of the American West. Raised near Mount Timpanogos in American Fork, Johnson developed an early interest in art but initially pursued a practical path, marrying young and working for 16 years as a carpenter. That career instilled a meticulous work ethic and a deep ability to visualize and construct ideas—skills that became central to his art. While attending Utah Valley State College, he explored graphic design before leaving school to pursue art independently. Over the next decade, Johnson refined his voice through painting the Southwest, drawing inspiration from expressionism and modernism rather than traditional Western realism. A pivotal 2011 visit to BYU Museum of Art’s Wide-Open Spaces exhibition solidified his vision. By 2016, his online presence led to gallery representation and rapid recognition. In 2021, he received the Victor Higgins Award of Distinction from the Eiteljorg Museum.