Mary Lou Johnson

Living most of her life on islands in mid coastal Florida, Mary Lou is passionately drawn to watery scenes and their infinite array of color, mood, and composition in her artistic creations. 

Retiring from her private practice as a marriage and family therapist and divorce mediator, she plunged into her love of photography and digital painting capturing God’s beauty with a “watery” emphasis.  Coastal environments throughout the U.S., South America, the Caribbean and Europe are favorites.

Mary Lou loves travel and the pursuit of the initial image as well as her unique creative digital painting process to bring the image to where she envisions it should be.  Personally and spiritually, the process is challenging and fulfilling.  She supports conservation of our natural world and strives to encourage others to observe and preserve the beauty around us.  With her images, collectors around the world bring exquisite outdoor scenes into their personal home and work spaces. 

Art honors and awards include juried local, state, national and international competitions. Most recently, her fine art exhibition was in NYC at the International ArtExpoNY.  Mary Lou was a Finalist in NY Times Square International Competition and a Finalist in Photographer of the Year for Popular Photography Magazine. Her images have been featured in The PPA Showcase, the annual book of Professional Photographers of America, Shutterbug Photography Magazine, Southern Boating, Sarasota Herald, Siesta Observer, Longboat Key Observer, Longboat Key News, and numerous other magazines and newspapers including the cover of the Sarasota Magazine. 

Mary Lou’s fine art coffee table book, The Lure of Longboat Key, sold out in 8 months and is in its second printing.  Receiving five national and international awards for Art, Photography, and Coffee Table books, it was featured in NYC at the International BookExpoUSA at the Javit Center.