Gunnar Johnson: Artist on Display for May/June

Rod Serling: Submitted for your approval

Paintings by Gunnar Johnson

Rod Serling (1924-1975) was one of the few television writers to become a household name. In 1959, his television series “The Twilight Zone” premiered and ran until 1964. He wrote an amazing 92 of the 156 episodes that aired and fought hard to maintain creative control, hiring other gifted scriptwriters and raising television writing to a very high artistic level. He lent his distinctive eerie voice to each episode’s opening and closing narration, appearing on screen with a stern expression and an ever-present lit cigarette. To this day, the series stands as a one-of-a-kind, with the term “Twilight Zone” used in common parlance to evoke something unreal or unexplainable. This exhibit features paintings depicting scenes from some of the most beloved episodes of “The Twilight Zone” with words from the opening or closing narration of the episodes accompanying the paintings. There’s a signpost up ahead. Your next stop: The Twilight Zone!
 

About the artist
Gunnar Johnson is a retired graphic designer and writer. He majored in art at the University of Connecticut and graduated with a BFA. His work has appeared in many publications including Mad and Reader’s Digest. He worked for 25 years at the Providence Journal and four years at the South Florida Sun Sentinel and has had numerous recent art exhibits in Connecticut including The Homer Babbidge Library at UConn, The Valentine Zahn Gallery in Westbrook and the Mystic Museum of Art. He lives in Middletown.