Mark M. Johnson

1950 - 2021

Mark M. Johnson

Mark M. Johnson, Director Emeritus of the Montgomery Museum of Fine arts, husband, father, and grandfather, passed away early Friday morning, June 25, 2021, after a long illness. A reception in his honor will be held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday, July 22, 2021, 4-6 PM.

Mark was born in Rochester, MN on December 10, 1950 to Dr. Charles Michael and Jean Reid Johnson and was raised in Elgin, IL. Mark's plan was to study medicine, but after wondering why a Jackson Pollock painting sold for over $1,0000,000 at auction, he changed his course of study to art history. Mark received his B.A. in art history from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1974 and an M.A. in art history and a Certificate in art museum studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1976. That same year, he was awarded an NEA internship in the education department of the Art Institute of Chicago. From 1977 to 1981, Mark served as a curator and lecturer in the education department of the Cleveland Museum of Art. From 1981 to 1985, he served as assistant director and curator of European paintings at the Krannert Art Museum at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While there, in 1980, he authored the publication, Idea to Image: Preparatory Studies from the Renaissance to Impressionism.

Mark's first directorship came at the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, where he served from 1985 to 1994. At the Muscarelle, he organized a number of exhibitions and publications, including Photographs by Yousuf Karsh in 1987, King William's Praise: Romeyn de Hogge's Etchings of William III in 1989, Literacy Through Art: A Celebration of the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration in 1990 and Nissan Engel: Nouvelles Dimensions in 1994.

Mark was one of the fortunate among us who was able to live immersed in his passion for art as he lead the Montgomery Museum from 1994 to 2017, loving his work and having the opportunity to share his passion with the City of Montgomery, the River Region, the State of Alabama, and beyond. Mark is survived by his wife, Amy ISchneider), his two daughters Rachel Collins (Michael) and Sarah Vaught (Sean), granddaughter Ava Collins, and his siblings Charles Michael Johnson (Mary), Bo Johnson (Diane), Susan Young (Mark), Greg Johnson (Linda), Cathy Ficadenti (Frank), Mary Johnson, David Johnson, Robert Johnson, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Mark's family would like to thank the caregivers at Plantation Manor in McCalla, AL and Crowne Healthcare of Ft. Payne, as well as Dr. William Meador, UAB Neurology. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Lewy Body Dementia Association, or the charity of your choice.