Midge Johnson Artist Biography

Midge Johnson was raised in Newark, NJ, and currently resides in  Osprey, Florida.  Raised by a single mother in an urban environment, she benefited from early exposure to a diverse cultural environment.  The political and socio-economic conditions experienced in childhood were the backdrop and catalyst for her development of resourcefulness, self-reliance, and social awareness.  These life skills fostered a successful business career and now carry her along the road to achieving her artistic goals.

After a 30-year career as CFO/ EVP of a major music publishing company, she currently devotes her time to honing her artistic skills. She creates abstract expressionist mixed-media painting which are sold in her gallery, Midge Johnson Fine Art in Osprey, Florida and The Mara Studio + Gallery on Palm Avenue in Sarasota, Florida.

She is a self-taught artist continuously learning through classes, workshops, and online courses in both painting and art history.  Most recently she attended a workshop in Ireland, taught by acclaimed artist and teacher, Pamela Caughey.  There she learned important technique to create in a new medium for her, encaustic art.  She has studied composition with NYC Artist Gilda Pervin, life drawing with Simon Dinnerstein, watercolor with Clare Godleski, and Jeff Cohn.  She has traveled within the US to attend immersive workshops with Janet Rogers, Joan Fullerton, Jean Pedersen, Lian Quan Zhen, Ken Homesmer, Alexis Lavine, Rick Surrowicz, Nancy Hillis, and others.  She currently studies online with the Art & Success Group founded by acclaimed artist Pamela Caughey.  She attended an immersive workshop in Ireland focussed on Encaustic art taught by the great Pamela Caughey. Midge also enjoys art history classes offered by MOMA (NYC), particularly those relating to the post-war NY abstract expressionist movement.

Her work has been influenced by Helen Frankenthaler, Georgia O’Keeffe, Lee Krasner, Pat Passoff, and the post-war abstract expressionists, as well as contemporary artists with whom she continues to study. 

In 2021, Midge and her husband Alan Wasserman partnered to open Midge Johnson Fine Art, a studio, gallery, and performance space in Osprey, FL.  Alan is a classical pianist who has performed in hundreds of venues in NY, New Jersey, China, Russia, and Austria. Alan's concert grand Steinway piano resides at Midge Johnson Fine Art.  Their patrons can attend classes, workshops, and piano concerts, coupled with Artist talks or demonstrations.  Midge offers her work for sale in the gallery as well as online.   She has been a contributing artist to the Mara Studio Gallery for 5 years and looks forward to 5 more!

Her solo show, Zen, at The Mara Studio Gallery in Sarasota, FL, debuted in September 2024.  Due to the distraction of back-to-back hurricanes, the show was mounted a second time with great success.  She was invited back for a Solo Show opened in April 2026 where she exhibited painting in the series "Passages" which was favorably received by the public.  She is currently creating a new series to be exhibited in February 2027 at Midge Johnson Fine Art.