Untitled (A Sense of Something Happening), 2012, by Chris Johanson

Chris Johanson is having a moment. The California artist, who thrived in the skateboarding and punk rock scenes, has a major solo show going on at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, in which he melds expressionist strokes with a meditative spirit. He recently hosted the Quiet Music Festival of Portland (which he founded in 2011), and is in the midst of curating another show in L.A. this fall celebrating the creative process. And have we mentioned the fountain? He’s designing one for New York’s Standard hotel in collaboration with artist (and wife) Johanna Jackson.

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