Zapata County Forever by Laura Lynn Johnson

Zapata County Forever
Laura Lynn Johnson
Watercolor & Gouache on Paper
32"h x 22"w x 1.5"deep
Framed in Maple with Archival Float & Museum Glass
2024

This photo was taken on the Vasquez Ranch in deep South Texas, Zapata County, on the Texas-Mexico border. The view faces west, with Mexico visible across the Rio Grande. One of my passions is birdwatching and exploring private ranches whenever possible.  I was fortunate to visit this ranch and spend time with the family who owns the property. They are dedicated to creating wildlife corridors on the ranch to support birds and other wildlife. Historically, the Vasquez family has been incredibly generous, granting private groups access to the river views and other prime areas of the ranch for nature observation and birding activities.

Get to Know the Austin Artist:
I'm Laura Lynn Johnson, a passionate artist based in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas. I have a BA in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Expressive Therapies from the University of Louisville.

My art is inspired by the world around me, reflecting my extensive travels and a love for birds and birding, botanicals, landscapes, and nature. Being a native Texan and a 5th generation Austinite (Can you say Unicorn!) has profoundly influenced my work and art practice. I specialize in watercolors on large paper from images taken from my own photographs. Original paintings become archival, layered and almost quilt like. My favorite subjects are the stunning and often overlooked landscapes of deep south Texas ranches, particularly along the beautiful Rio Grande, located on the border between Texas and Mexico. This is where there are no walls, only water, wildlife and nature.