David Johnson, Madonnas of Leningrad, Watercolor on Paper, 10 X 14"

While working at a daily Bay Area newspaper, Dave became one of several go-to in-house illustrators, producing a wide range of original illustrations for the local news. When editorial wanted to supplement their Monthly Book Club articles with illustrations rather than photos (of an author sitting at a table, stack of books in the foreground) Dave happily took on the assignment.

For these book club book illustrations Dave read the book in its entirety, came up with a concept, and painted the resulting composition. Each offers his unique pictorial take on the fictional world.

Based on the reading of the 2006 novel The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean.