Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Johnmeyer.
Hi Alex, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Being an artist is all I ever truly wanted to be from a young age. I vividly remember wandering into my Aunt Janie’s art studio as a child—completely mesmerized by the beautiful chaos of her workspace. Art supplies and coffee cups scattered across the room in small vignettes… it felt like stepping into another world, tucked away from the vibrant spaces where our family celebrated holidays. I distinctly remember the moment it dawned on me: I could BE AN ARTIST when I grew up.
I never grew tired of exploring new ways to express myself—drawing, painting, ceramics, jewelry design, photography. My time as a cake decorator when I was 19 (in 1998) deeply influenced my approach to texture in my paintings… I took the skills I developed with a piping bag and palette knife and applied them to my own artwork. That experience still informs my techniques today, as I often incorporate sculptural elements into my paintings.
In 2009, I officially launched my career as a professional artist, showing my work in St. Louis based galleries, and creating commissions for private collectors and businesses. My work explores themes of nostalgia and self-discovery, particularly through my experiences as a transgender and queer man. I invite my viewers to engage with their own nostalgia through my paintings, while considering themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the freedom of living openly and authentically.
I’m honored to have received recognition for my work, including the “Award of Excellence in Artistry” from St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler, and being named “Best Fine Artist” in St. Louis Magazine’s 2021 Reader’s Choice “A List.” I’ve earned “Best in Show” awards from Art Saint Louis and Webster Arts, and I’m a proud juried member of the Best of Missouri Hands. My work has been exhibited widely across the St. Louis region, including galleries such as Duane Reed Gallery, 31art Gallery, Artisans in the Loop, and the Foundry of St. Charles. My work has been featured on tv, radio, podcasts and print publications. My first solo exhibition, “Background Noise,” opened at Third Degree Glass Factory in 2017, and six of my watercolor paintings are permanently installed at St. Louis University Hospital.
After two years of work, I recently celebrated my latest solo exhibition, “Unboxed,” at the Angad Arts Hotel. In my current body of work, I wanted to reflect on my journey as a transgender man, using my childhood in the 1980s and 90s as a lens to explore themes of LGBTQ+ visibility and experience. Through a series of vibrant paintings, I strived to capture fragmented memories of a past shaped by pop culture, self discovery, and the quiet challenges of growing up feeling different.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m sincerely grateful for everyone who has supported me and my art career since the very beginning. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my best friend and husband, Patrick, our friends, and the incredible community I’ve found along the way. Your encouragement has meant everything to me.
I openly share my journey of self-discovery as a queer and transgender man, along with the challenges I face living with my chronic health issues. I know what it’s like to struggle—to feel alone, to feel helpless—which is why one of my goals is to be a resource for others. I believe that finding your community in this world is the first step toward happiness. I want to help create safe, welcoming spaces where others feel seen, reflected, and supported, to provide opportunities for connection.
I’m deeply committed to community building, and using art as a stepping stone for positive social change. My passion for volunteerism began in 2012 during my time with MySLART.org, where I developed skills in curation, exhibition design, and volunteer coordination. That experience inspired me to co-found the Metro Trans Umbrella Group (MTUG), a nonprofit dedicated to transgender advocacy. As Events Director, I curated St. Louis’ first annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition, “Transcending the Spectrum,” which ran from 2013 to 2021. I feel using my voice as a trans man and artist is a powerful way to blend art with activism and create awareness and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community.
I also really enjoy donating my time and talents as an artist to support numerous fundraisers and nonprofit causes such as “Art of PAWS” for Vivent Health, “Wall Ball” for Artscope, and “Urbanaire” for PROMO. Through both my art and advocacy, I strive to create meaningful change—merging creativity with a commitment to community, visibility, and the power of authentic self-expression.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Over the last 25 years, my artistic style has naturally evolved. Like many artists, I went through periods of experimentation before finding my own distinct voice. Since 2013, I have been creating vibrant realism paintings inspired by my own photography. My work blends personal stories from my life with saturated color, pop culture references, and layered symbolism, in oil, watercolor, and acrylic. I often incorporate different textures (such as paper clay, light modeling paste or coarse pumice gel) to bring additional visual interest, but also a tactile element. I want people to touch my art, to FEEL MY ART physically and emotionally.
I’m always experimenting with new techniques and attempting to redefine what it means to be a contemporary realism artist. I know that not everyone will look at my paintings and innately understand the symbolic meaning behind my paintings, but maybe that ambiguity is part of what I enjoy… what drives me to keep finding new ways to tell my story.
Sharing my experiences with gender dysphoria, chronic illness, and the journey of finding my place in the world can all be heavy topics… but this is MY WAY of telling MY STORY. I continue to create to spark curiosity and connection, knowing that not everyone will understand… and that’s okay. I believe the beauty of art is that we all SEE our own lived experiences reflected in it.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Beyond my artistic practice, what truly drives me is helping others. I hope I’ve made a lasting impact on the people around me and in the St. Louis community.
Nine years ago, a fellow St. Louis artist, Arleana Holtzmann and I started a small, casual gathering to share art fair and gallery opportunities in the back room of Artmart. Those small meetings soon became the St. Louis Visual Artists Network on Facebook, growing over the years with the help of our dedicated admins and moderators. Today, this group has reached over 6,000 members, with influential arts organizations actively sharing opportunities & news directly.
I believe that as humans, and especially as artists, we can all go much further when we support one another… there’s plenty of room for everyone at the table.”
Pricing:
- .Original Paintings: $5oo – $7,000
- Giclee reproductions on canvas or watercolor paper: $200 – $1,000
- Prints in my Etsy shop or at Artisans in the Loop Gallery range from $15.00 to $45.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexjohnmeyer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superkeenalex/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexjohnmeyerart
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-johnmeyer
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZNUTeeK18Z1iRTDybkzBnQ
