Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Penn Johnson.
Hi Jeffrey Penn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m from South Carolina originally. I grew up near the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. After I finished college I moved to LA to take classes in film scoring at UCLA. After writing music for a full-sized orchestra I was hooked on the thrill of composing. Many hardships and a few years later I’m still writing music (although I decided to quit several times in between). During one of those quitting spells that came about from unfortunate health issues, I started painting. Painting became a healing, meditative practice for me that helped me recover from the traumatic experiences I received working in the entertainment industry. During this time of painting I honed my skills and developed my unique style that you can now see in my work. I am now working as a full-time artist and composer.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve lost track of all the obstacles I’ve encountered just in my few years living in LA. Here’s just a few: getting COVID multiple times, escaping deadly/crazy roommates, quitting toxic jobs, standing up to toxic bosses, having multiple cars break down, getting robbed, having my appendix removed, sitting in my car for two hours on the side of the 10 bridge that goes over the 405 because of a panic attack, surviving syncope while performing music in front of thousands of people, surviving many more panic attacks in the car, getting trapped in a cult, escaping a cult, and of course having my car broken in to and many hit-and-runs. That’s just a few out of the plethora of challenges. It’s incredible how much bad stuff can happen to you even when you’ve done nothing wrong and provoked none of it. The underlying obstacle running through all these obstacles is the discouragement that comes with each unfortunate event. To say it’s difficult to trust in the goodness of God and see the best in people is an understatement.
The big obstacle for me was mental: do I hang my head in defeat, not trusting my intuition, and not basking in the wonder of the world any more? I realized I had to run in the direction of hope and goodness, throwing off places and people who were harming me and instead choosing relationships that brought joy. It meant leaving an apartment and a part of the city that had brought me so many bad memories. It meant grieving the pain. It meant not working with folks who sought to exploit me. It meant being with people who care for me and encourage me. The ultimate Challenge or Obstacle for me has been to run towards what is good, true, and beautiful when there’s so much resistance within me and outside me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist and composer. I create meditative landscape paintings that capture the essence or spirit of the location depicted. I work with bold colors in an impressionist style that is both classical and modern in aesthetic. My paintings explore the beauty and hardship of life, inviting the viewer in to spend time gazing and reflecting. I grew up loving to paint, but abandoned the craft in my teen years. After moving to LA I returned to painting, unable to suppress it any longer. My other full time job is composing music for film and TV. I create my musical scores using a variety of instruments from piano to strings to brass to guitar – the whole orchestra. I play piano, pipe organ, and euphonium.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My family has always supported and encouraged me, and I’m eternally grateful. My beautiful AK has always been there with me, uplifting me and spurring me on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artbyjeffco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyjeffco/
- Other: https://musicbyjeffco.com/
Image Credits
Photos by Jeff Johnson and AK
