The Elixir Project
Good day everyone!
I am Patrick Henry Johnson, the artist who created the iconic landmark mural The Elixir! Located at Crenshaw and Stocker.
I am currently in the process of publishing a coffee table book about the life of that beautiful mural.
The idea is akin to Chicken Soup For the Soul, where I am gathering stories from people who were inspired as a child walking by the mural, as a woman who sees herself in the mural, as a man who loves the image or as an artist who garnered inspiration to become a muralist, etc, etc.
The Elixir
Good day everyone!
I am Patrick Henry Johnson, the artist who created the iconic landmark mural The Elixir! Located at Crenshaw and Stocker.
I am currently in the process of publishing a coffee table book about the life of that beautiful mural.
The idea is akin to Chicken Soup For the Soul, where I am gathering stories from people who were inspired as a child walking by the mural, as a woman who sees herself in the mural, as a man who loves the image or as an artist who garnered inspiration to become a muralist, etc, etc.
I’ve heard myriad’s of great stories and now it’s time to catalog them and publish this great book! I will be sending out more information about the time and place for the event. I look forward to hearing the stories and sharing this project with you.
Sincerely,
Patrick Henry Johnson
I’ve heard myriad’s of great stories and now it’s time to catalog them and publish this great book! I will be sending out more information about the time and place for the event. I look forward to hearing the stories and sharing this project with you.
Sincerely,
Patrick Henry Johnson
The Elixir is a 40 by 40 foot mural of the silhouette of a woman with the universe swirling within her against a triad of bright, vibrant colors. It is titled “The Elixir” as it is meant to symbolize the healing power of community, culture, and history, as well as representing the transformative journey the act of creating the work itself played in the artists life. It took three months to paint, with much of that time spent on ladders and power lifts. Even before it was finished it had captured the hearts and imaginations of the community becoming an important cultural landmark reflecting and shaping the identity and character of the local residents. It has since appeared in countless magazines, music videos and film and television projects, notably, recently featured on Issa Rae’s “Insecure” on HBO, “All American” on Amazon Prime, Jonah Hill’s comedy “YouPeople”. the blockbuster “Creed III” and Kasami Washington’s album cover for “The Epic”.
If you would like to express how “The Elixir” has touched or inspired you, or would just like to leave a comment, I welcome you …
“Have we forgotten that we are spiritual beings having a human experience? In a universe created in harmony, conflict is a creation of your own mind. You have all that you need within. What are you waiting for? FREE… YOUR… MIND!”
~Patrick Henry Johnson.
“Have we forgotten that we are spiritual beings having a human experience? In a universe created in harmony, conflict is a creation of your own mind. You have all that you need within. What are you waiting for? FREE… YOUR… MIND!”
~Patrick Henry Johnson.
Contact Me
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. If you are familiar with “The Elixir” please let me know. I would like to extend an invitation for you to submit your feelings and thoughts about the work to be considered for inclusion in the coffee table book I am currently working on. I am also considering recording video testimonials at an event to be held at my studio sometime in the future. Please let me know if you would be interested in participating in this as well.
Crenshaw Blvd and West Stocker Street
Destination Crenshaw
“The Elixir” is located in the heart of the historic Crenshaw district in proximity to Leimart Park Village and the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, an area widely regarded as the cultural hub for African Americans in LA, and referred to by director John Singleton as “the Black Greenwhich Village”. Recently the neighborhood has been undergoing renovation and the constrution of a major public art and cultural experience celebrating the history and contributions of African Americans in the Crenshaw community of Los Angeles, called “Destination Crenshaw”.
The centerpiece of Destination Crenshaw will be a 1.3-mile-long outdoor museum that will feature a series of public art installations, including murals, sculptures, and other forms of street art. The installations will be created by a diverse group of artists and will explore themes such as African American history, culture, and identity.
In addition to the outdoor museum, Destination Crenshaw will include a range of community programming, such as music festivals, artist talks, and educational events. The project is designed to create a space that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Crenshaw community and provides a platform for artists and community members to come together and share their stories.
Overall, Destination Crenshaw is an ambitious project that aims to celebrate and honor the contributions of African Americans in the Crenshaw community and create a new cultural destination in the heart of Los Angeles.
Patrick Henry Johnson
is a Los Angeles based artist/muralist who was born in Vadosta , Georgia to Hattie ruth Johnson and William Henry Tillman.
As a small child growing up in St. Petersbrug, Florida, Patrick was always drawing. When he couldn;t find paper he would take up a razor blade and cut the blank pages out of the books at home to have drawing paper.
Pat, as he was called by his nine brothers and sister, was perpetually curious. Always investigating the how’s, the why’s, and the whens’s. His oldest brother, Johnny, became his first art teacher.
With the help of tattered comic books, Johnny got the youngster to sit down and focus on what he was instructed to do. He blossomed under his brother’s tutelage and soon he was off and running!
After graduating form high school, Patrick attended The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. For the first time in his life, he didnt have to sneak to draw in class! Patrick flourished in his new enviroment and quickly ascended to the top of his ckass.
Patrick left Fort Lauderdale and moved to Los Angeles to further his career as an artist. He quickly jumped into the art scene by becoming an apprentice for an international mural company. His apprentenceship lasted for five years. During that tim, Patrick learned various techniques and a multitude of disciplines while honing his own unique style.
As a full time muralist, he began paintingmurals in Italy, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, and Alaska.
In 2016, after a two decade mural ban was lifted, Patrick became the first artist chosen to paint a mural on public property funded by the city of Los Angles.
He coined his style, Heroic Surrealism, it hakens back to his early foray into the comic book genre and his love of Salvador Dali, Rene’ Margritte and MC Escher.
Patrick Henry Johnson is the father of seven beautiful children and they all all artistic, well read, and extremely curious. He loves his childrenand they can be seen in a lot of his works. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe these incredibly talented people are my children.”
Light years removed from finding paper to draw on, Patrick is now expanding his reach to an international audience by creating works for galleries, museums, boutique hotels, and luxury real estate. With his fertile imgination, the world can only guess what will come next!