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Today, we're celebrating the birthday of Florence's own William H. Johnson (1901-1970), prolific and significant American artist who produced hundreds of works in a career that spanned decades and continents.

William H. Johnson was born in Florence, SC, attended Wilson High School, and eventually he made his way to New York City where he studied at the National Academy of Design. A classically trained painter, Johnson's early works were influenced by the great masters of painting. Later in his life and career, Johnson developed the style he's perhaps most well known for—a folk art-inspired technique depicting images of rural life in the South, the Jazz Age, historical figures, and events.

Despite a prolific and incredibly creative career, Johnson tragically slipped into obscurity during the latter part of his life, suffering from a mental health crisis after the death of his wife, which left him institutionalized for 24 years leading up to his death in 1970.

His entire body of work was nearly lost after failure to pay storage fees, but thankfully friends of the artist stepped in and saved over 1,000 pieces. Today, the Smithsonian American Art Museum recognizes Johnson as a major American artist, and you can see his work right here in Downtown Florence at the Florence County Museum or take a photo with a sculpture of him in the Evans Street Breezeway.

📸: William H. Johnson Sculpture by Alex Palkovich, Evans Street Breezeway, Downtown Florence