Study in BEYOND BLACK: Texture and Light

CHERYL JOHNSON

Discover "The Black Series" by Cheryl Johnson. Dramatic abstract expressionist paintings where luminous colors and heavy texture float on deep black backgrounds. Shop original luxury statement art from the studio.

The "Designer/Interior" Focus

IF YOU ARE LOOKIING for "modern" or "contemporary" decor.

Elevate your space with high-contrast abstract art. Cheryl Johnson’s Black Series features vibrant, textured shapes on solid black canvas. The perfect modern statement pieces for luxury interiors and collectors.

DESIGNER NOTE: WHY CHOOSE BLACK?

"The Anchor Effect" Designers often struggle with rooms that feel "floating" or too airy. A painting from the Black Series acts as a visual gravity point. It instantly grounds a high-ceilinged room or an open-concept space, providing a sophisticated focal point that commands attention without screaming.

The Canvas as a Stage In the tradition of Pierre Soulages and the Abstract Expressionists, I approach the black canvas not as a space of darkness, but as a stage for light.

The Physics of Color When color is applied to a white canvas, it merges with the light. When applied to a deep, velvet black background, color isolates and vibrates. In this series, I utilize this optical phenomenon to create shapes that appear to float suspended in space.

Texture & Light These paintings rely on heavy impasto and gestural marks. The solid black background acts as an "infinite depth," allowing the textured layers of metallic golds, electric blues, and burning crimsons to catch the light from every angle. The result is a painting that changes mood as the sun moves across the room.

THE BLACK SERIES:
LUMINOUS CONTRAST

Emerging from the Void: A Study in Color, Texture, and Light.

The Power of the Dark Canvas

In traditional painting, we begin with white—a void of light. In The Black Series, I begin with the abyss. By grounding the canvas in deep, solid black, the interaction of color shifts entirely. Pigments do not merely sit on the surface; they float, vibrate, and glow with an electric intensity that is impossible to achieve on a white ground.

For the Interior

These works are designed to act as the "anchor" of a room. Interior designers utilize The Black Series to introduce drama and sophistication without chaos. The velvet-like black backgrounds absorb light, while the textured impasto shapes catch it, creating a dynamic interplay that changes throughout the day.

The Technique: Heavy body acrylics and mixed media applied over a matte black foundation.
The Effect: High-drama contrast, depth, and "floating" composition.
The Feeling: Modern, moody, and unapologetically bold.

Black Series: Rush 1 Framed Print

Fine Art Paper

White Mat

Frame: Metal: Dark Pewter

Size 15 x 20 in

BUY

BUY BLACK SERIES RUSH 1-Framed PRINT

The Research (For Your Knowledge)

The Master of Black: Pierre Soulages The French Abstract Expressionist Pierre Soulages is the most famous artist to master black. He coined the term "Outrenoir" (Beyond Black).

His Philosophy: He believed black was not the absence of light, but a creator of light. By building up thick textures of black paint and scraping into them, he manipulated how light reflected off the canvas.
The Relevance to You: Like Soulages, you are using black not as "darkness," but as a reflective surface. However, you take it a step further by introducing Color.
The Kandinsky Effect: Vassily Kandinsky also theorized that colors on a black background vibrate and "pop" forward, whereas colors on white sink backward.

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Study in BEYOND BLACK: Texture and Light

The "Designer/Interior" Focus

THE BLACK SERIES: LUMINOUS CONTRAST

Emerging from the Void: A Study in Color, Texture, and Light.

The Research (For Your Knowledge)

THE BLACK SERIES:
LUMINOUS CONTRAST