Johnson Simon

Biography

Johnson Simon is a contemporary painter whose work explores movement, expression, and the human body in motion. Living with cerebral palsy, Simon has developed a dynamic visual language that transforms physical limitation into energetic, expressive abstraction. He earned his graduate degree from the Herron School of Art and Design and was a Stutz Artist in Residence in 2019, an experience that helped expand his practice and integrate him into Indianapolis’s vibrant arts community.

Through bold color, rhythmic mark-making, and sweeping gestures, Simon’s work invites viewers to experience movement as both physical and emotional energy.

Statement

Movement is the foundation of my work. While physical limitations shape my daily life, painting offers a space of complete freedom. Inspired by dance and the ways bodies move and emote, I use bright colors and broad, expressive brushstrokes to translate motion onto the canvas.

Each painting becomes an act of release, where running, jumping, and dancing exist without restriction. The paintbrush serves as an extension of my body, allowing movement to live freely through color, gesture, and form.