March Meet the Maker, Day 1: Story
Meet Sarah M Johnson
Meet the artist!
March 1, 2020
Day 1, My Story:
This is my first year participating in #marchmeetthemaker . I am Currently an abstract and landscape artist, but I also paint flowers, portraits (mostly animals), and illustrations as well.
I started my college career in 1997 thinking I would be a classical musician, playing the bassoon, but changed my major to art and graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Art in 2001. Unsure of myself and what direction I wanted to go with my art made it hard for me to find a good career in art. I went back to school, because of my uncertainty, and graduated with another Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design, in 2005.
When I graduated with my second degree I was 9 months pregnant with my first child, which was in more need of me then I realized. So I quit working and focused on being a mom.
Long story short, after 6 years of not doing art (besides the occasional sketch of my babies and such) I needed to get back into it. But I had no idea how. Living even further from the city of Chicago at that time, I was not surrounded by any real art community. I was luck to fine a small art studio that just opened up by me in 2011, and so I started teaching art. Because I was out of practice with my art I was really unsure of my potential. Teaching to young kids opened up my perspective of artistic play and curiosity without judgement.
When we moved closer to the city, in 2013, I found more of an artist community. I taught art to children at four different places, more and more developing my curiosity and artistic play. But still my confidence in my own work was suffering, since I was working on lesson plans instead of my artwork.
It wasn’t till I was working full time as a teaching assistant (a job that was not in art and was needed for income and insurance purposes), that I realize that I was meant to be a full time artist. I craved it all the time and I was unhappy. I dealt with depression for a while before this and it became more so at this time.
With the support of my family, I pursued being a full time freelance artist in the middle of 2018. It’s been hard, but worth it. I feel I’m getting more knowledgeable and confident in my work every month. Social media and the internet has made it more easy to connect with other artist and to learn and grow as an artist.
I find that my abstract work is artistic curiosity and nonjudgmental play I need everyday. I express each piece with emotion in mind, colors and really in tuned with my artistic materials. My landscapes are my peace. I feel that nature (especially trees and flowers), bring me peace and joy. I am absorbed in the light and shadows, and color I see every day.
People don’t realize that an artistic journey is a life long journey with ups and downs, evolution of my work, discoveries and challenges. It takes a while, but I have come a long way in my work. I hope to grow and expand more there coming years.
Thank you for reading my story. Share if you want. I hope it encourages others to not give up and to not feel that they are too old to pursue their dreams.
Sarah M Johnson
