Lyle Johnson

Biography

I was born February 20, 1966, and raised on a farm in Slate River just outside Fort William, Ontario (now known as Thunder Bay). I am one of four siblings. I have two brothers and one sister. When I was the age of fifteen months, our father passed away suddenly from a heart attack. Our mother was a single mom from that point on where me and my siblings learned a strong work ethic, independence, and team work as we worked the farm at a very young age.                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Childhood activities included helping on the farm, Boy Scouts, skiing, baseball, motocross bikes, and lots of hockey! Hockey was a passion and after realizing there was a need in our community I ran a hockey school with my brother. I eventually moved away to southern Ontario to play junior hockey. After junior hockey, I became a coach and trainer for over 20 years while running various hockey schools and power skating clinics.

I have three wonderful children, Jessica, Jeremiah, and Julia and I am a proud grandfather to Kayden, Lachlan, and Clara.

I have lived on the east coast in Labrador City and Fredericton before moving west to Edmonton then Calgary and now I am settled in Strathmore which I have resided for just over a year. I worked in the mining industry for 30 years in Lab City and Nunavut, in iron ore mines, as well as the wood industry.

I am extremely passionate about health and fitness and have worked out regularly since a young age and still continue to go to the gym. I am a passionate hiker and love going to the mountains with my two dogs, Spartan (a black shepherd) and Titus (a Belgian Melinois).

In July 2023, I was diagnosed with cancer and since then, I have turned to my art more in this journey of the battle. I have had no formal education in art; I am self-taught and experiment until I like what I have produced. I create when I feel inspiration and have at times set the tools down. As of late I have been doing a lot more painting. I paint anything from landscapes, animals, nature, abstract, but my passion is painting people. I have used mediums such as watercolour, oil, acrylic, and spray paint.

This is the first time I am displaying my art work and I am grateful to the Strathmore Library for this opportunity.

If you're not able to come into the library to see Lyle's work, check out the YouTube video below.

Lyle would love to hear your feedback on his artwork directly. Email him at ljohnson.hawks@hotmail.com.