It’s Monday. Wake Up and Look at These Paintings by Pamela Johnson.

Starlight Mints, 26'' x 40'', 2008 (image via http://www.pamelamichellejohnson.com)

There are about half a dozen living artists whose work I go back to from time to time just to stare at.  I’m lucky enough to have two of them hanging on my walls at home, but the others are, well, a little out of my price range.

Hostess Cupcakes II, 52'' x 34'', 2009 (image via http://www.pamelamichellejohnson.com)

Meet Pamela Michelle Johnson: she’s one of the lucky half dozen that I’ll be sending a few tens of thousands of dollars to if and when I strike it filthy rich.  Her paintings are stunningly realistic, deeply saturated in rich color and texture, often tremendously over-sized, and for lack of another descriptive term, WONDERFUL.

PB&J II, 58''' x 44'', 2009 (image via http://www.pamelamichellejohnson.com)

I would love to quote a part of her artist’s statement for you, but it’s so well-written and comprehensive that I will forward you to her statement directly.  To summarize very simplistically, she is trying to show the evocative, indulgent, and irresistible sides of junk food while speaking about harmful overindulgence and the troubling culture of excess that we are immersed in.  All of that relevant and thought-provoking social commentary aside, I can’t look away.  I don’t want to look away; I want to look at her giant painting of waffles dredged in syrup as I sit at breakfast, eating waffles dredged in syrup (is that bad?) .

Waffles, 72'' x 42'', 2007 (image via http://www.pamelamichellejohnson.com)

Pillsbury, 32'' x 46'', 2010 (image via http://www.pamelamichellejohnson.com)

Pamela Michelle Johnson is represented by the Adler & Co. Gallery in San Francisco. I haven’t had the opportunity to stop in, seeing as how it’s 2,000 miles left of me, but I’ve spoken with them on the phone and they are super sweet and lovely to talk to.  If you buy one don’t tell me though, because I’ll be pretty jealous and it might take me a while to get over it.

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