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Zak Johnson

BLA Application Portfolio of Creative Work

table of contents agriculture 3 landscaping 4 music 7 art 8

agriculture

In my seven years as an organic farmer at Sweetwater Nursery, I built cold-frame greenhouses, grew vegetables year-round, and helped with our CSA. It was there that I learned a solid work ethic and the skills to start my landscaping business and maintain my own year-round home garden.

landscaping

As a landscaper, I strive to solve problems in an aesthetically pleasing, environmentally sensitive way. Instead of planting water-thirsty turf grass, I redid the sidewalk strip at the Vannett residence using eye-catching, drought-tolerant plants including Nandina compacta Gulf Stream, dwarf Miscanthus sinensis, Euonymus japonica microphylla, and Hebe Autumn Glory. Years later, my design is thriving with virtually no irrigation.

landscaping

I also love to install pathways. At the Smith residence (above), I used flagstone planted with Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii) and Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) for both aroma and a splash of color.

landscaping

When a snowstorm took down trees and ruined our patio garden, I resolved to improve it. I blended edible and ornamental plants and used varying foliage shapes and sizes to create depth and texture. I used potted plants to fill in the bare spaces on the patio and create additional rooms for a more relaxing, comfortable place to spend summer! The Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) featured here are specimens Ive nurtured from seedlings.

music

Ive always loved music and I am proficient on guitar, bass and voice. I have been performing live around the United States for fifteen years and I am preparing to go on my first overseas trip to perform in China with the University of Gospel Ensemble. I am also an accomplished songwriter and have produced and designed the cover art for two of my own albums. I am also a music educator and co-director at Harmony Roadhouse, where I teach guitar and bass. I designed and installed our lesson sign in front of our building, and several of my paintings adorn our lobby.

art

As a student at Lane Community College, I rekindled my passion for visual art and enjoyed the challenge of improving my drawing, painting and design skills. The instrument pieces shown here are hanging in the lobby of Harmony Roadhouse. The paintings are all acrylic on paper and the Panda piece was done cut-and-paste with paper and exacto-knife.

Lost in summers sweet caress Made bittersweet by loneliness While I work like the devil in the sun Cottonwoods are raining down The heat is rising off the ground Were far from the season of the gun Let go of time and let the moment take you away Lyrics from Season of the Gun by Zak Johnson

All content/photography 2013 Zak Johnson


with inspiration for Jimi painting (pg 8) from sticker design circa 1969

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