As one can tell from his art, which takes an Old Master approach, Brendan Johnston doesn’t go for half-measures. His family has been in Southampton since the 1920s, and he has attended art and cultural events at the Southampton Arts Center for many years.
A newly appointed member of the arts center’s board, he has said, “I joined the board because I believe vibrant arts institutions are essential to the character of a community. I hope to strengthen and expand SAC’s image so that Southampton continues to be a place where creativity and culture can thrive.”
As evidence that he means what he says, Mr. Johnston will be at the center on Saturday and again on April 9 from noon to 5 p.m. as its new artist in residence, painting and interacting directly with the public in the galleries. He will also teach a plein-air painting workshop on July 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 9:30 till 12:30.
Mr. Johnston studied art history at McGill University in Montreal before training in drawing, painting, and sculpture at Grand Central Atelier, where he graduated in 2012. The renowned nonprofit art school in Queens offers a four-year curriculum focusing on classical techniques, including, but not limited to, plein-air painting.
Devoted to representational painting and sculpture, with a focus on portraiture, the artist was featured in the BP Portrait Award competition, where his painting “Arcus” was shown at the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, and the Ulster Museum in Belfast.
Acclaimed for his stone and terra cotta sculpture, he took first prize from Britain’s Society of Portrait Sculptors in 2022 and second place in New York’s National Sculpture Society Award Exhibition in 2025 for “Tiburtinus.” His work has also been exhibited at the Salmagundi Club in Manhattan, the Galerie L’Oeil du Prince in Biarritz, France, and the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona, as well as in Boston, Southampton, and Provincetown, Mass.
“I learned how to landscape paint years ago from a group of very talented and generous artists at the Hudson River Fellowship,” he said of the plein-air workshops. “Passing along the knowledge of how to paint en plein air helps to continue the wonderful tradition.”
Each three-hour class will begin with a brief demonstration and discussion, followed by focused painting time with one-on-one guidance. The workshops will take place at nearby outdoor locations, such as the gardens of the arts center. All experience levels will be welcomed.
