Now, he just needs time. Jimmie needs time to rip down some lumber on his table saw for making stretcher frames, time to stretch and gesso a canvas, and time to paint.

Johnson paints from a combination of memory, photos, and his imagination. He finds challenge in creating realistic illusions such as movement, receding landscapes, reflective waters, and recognizable people or animals.

Jimmie prefers oil paints because of their permanence. Fairly flexible as far as brand names are concerned, he uses whatever supplies he can find locally. In his paint box he carries Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, and Titanium White. All of his other colors may be mixed from these. He prefers a mixture of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber to Black because Black is so glossy. His choice of brushes include mostly sable rounds in the 1-6 range with a few bristle fans and flats thrown in for texture.

Johnson uses a palate knife for mixing colors, paint application and adding hatchy strokes. He applies the paint fairly thickly in dabs and short strokes until he achieves the desired texture and color. Often that means juxtaposing several different colors together for a visual blend just as nature does in a tree trunk or the fur of a coyote.

Jimmie doesn't consider a painting complete until he has created a frame to match the color and weight of the piece in barn wood.