Santa Fe's artistic landscape is renowned for its diversity, and among the pioneering figures who brought a distinctly modern and spiritual voice to the region was Raymond Jonson. An influential painter, educator, and a key founder of the Transcendental Painting Group, Jonson's journey from early 20th-century Chicago theatre and design to the abstract and non-objective art he championed in New Mexico left an indelible mark on American modernism and the cultural fabric of Santa Fe.
Born Carl Raymond Johnson (Johnson was his birth name but he went by Jonson as a painter) on July 18, 1891, in Chariton, Iowa, his family eventually settled in Portland, Oregon. Jonson's formal art training began at the Portland Art Association School in 1909. He then moved to Chicago, studying at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and the Art Institute of Chicago. It was in Chicago that he encountered formative influences, including the groundbreaking Armory Show of 1913, which exposed him to European modernism, and the work and theories of Wassily Kandinsky concerning the spiritual in art. His early career in Chicago also included significant work in avant-garde theatre as a set and lighting designer for the Chicago Little Theatre (1913-18), where he met and married his wife, Vera White.
Jonson made his first extended visit to Santa Fe in 1922, captivated by the grandeur of the Southwestern landscape and the creative atmosphere. He permanently relocated to Santa Fe in 1924, seeking an escape from urban life to find peace and a closer connection to nature. In Santa Fe, Jonson became an important advocate for modern art. He was part of the "Six Men Group" of artists who exhibited regularly at the Museum of New Mexico. His own work during this period began to increasingly explore abstraction, though often still rooted in the forms and colors of the regional landscape. He also established the Atalaya Art School in Santa Fe.
A defining moment in Jonson's career was the co-founding of the Transcendental Painting Group (TPG) in 1938, alongside Emil Bisttram and other like-minded artists. The TPG aimed to create art that transcended the physical world, exploring spiritual, non-objective themes through new concepts of space, color, light, and design. Jonson was a central figure and theorist for the group. Concurrently, he began teaching at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque in 1934, a role that would become a major part of his life. He eventually moved to Albuquerque full-time in 1949 to head the fine arts program at UNM. In 1950, the Jonson Gallery was established on the UNM campus, serving as his home, studio, and a vital exhibition space dedicated to modern and abstract art. Raymond Jonson passed away in Albuquerque in 1982, recognized as a pivotal figure in American abstract painting.
Why Raymond Jonson is a Must-Know Figure in Santa Fe:
Raymond Jonson's influence on the art of Santa Fe and the broader trajectory of American modernism is profound and multifaceted.
- Champion of Modernism: Jonson was a tireless advocate for modern art in New Mexico, a region then more widely known for traditional representational art. He actively promoted abstract and non-objective painting through his work, teaching, and organizing exhibitions.
- Founder of the Transcendental Painting Group: His role in establishing and leading the TPG was crucial. This group, though short-lived as a formal entity (1938-1942), had a lasting impact on the development of abstract art in the Southwest and explored themes of spirituality and idealism that were unique for their time and place.
- Pioneering Educator: As a professor at the University of New Mexico for two decades (and head of the fine arts program), Jonson influenced generations of artists, including figures like Richard Diebenkorn and Agnes Martin.
- The Jonson Gallery Legacy: The establishment of the Jonson Gallery at UNM, initially his home and studio, created the first dedicated art museum at the university and in Albuquerque. It served as a crucial venue for exhibiting abstract and non-representational art when few other such spaces existed in the region.
- Innovator in Technique and Theory: Jonson was an experimental artist, notably adopting the airbrush in 1938 to achieve unique luminous qualities and smooth color transitions in his abstract works. His artistic practice was deeply intertwined with his philosophical and spiritual inquiries into the nature and purpose of art.
5 Things Most People Don't Know About Raymond Jonson:
- Early Theatre Innovator: Before fully dedicating himself to painting, Jonson had a significant career in Chicago's avant-garde Little Theatre, where he was not only a set and lighting designer but also invented a nine-switch dimmer board to create dramatic lighting effects.
- Son of a Baptist Minister: His father was a Baptist minister, and the family moved frequently throughout Jonson's youth, which may have contributed to his later search for spiritual grounding and universal themes in his art.
- Mentored by B.J.O. Nordfeldt: In Chicago, the Swedish-American modernist painter B.J.O. Nordfeldt (who also later spent significant time in Santa Fe) was an important early mentor to Jonson.
- Systematic Numbering of Works: For a significant period, especially after the formation of the TPG, Jonson stopped giving traditional titles to his paintings, instead using a system of medium and numbers (e.g., "Oil No. 6," "Watercolor No. 9") to emphasize their abstract, non-referential nature.
- His UNM Gallery Was Funded in Part by Cady Wells: The Jonson Gallery at the University of New Mexico, which became his home and a hub for modern art, was funded by the sale of his Santa Fe house and also received contributions from fellow Santa Fe artist and patron Cady Wells.
Raymond Jonson's dedicated pursuit of pure abstraction and his commitment to fostering modern art left an enduring legacy in Santa Fe and beyond, positioning him as a key innovator and spiritual seeker within American art history.
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