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Kathy was born in Olympia, Washington and six months later the family moved back to Milwaukie, Oregon to re-join the large family clan. One of her earliest joyful memories was watching her mother draw with colored pencils and magically creating a picture out of thin air. Of course, she was soon drawing right along with her. When her children were old enough to care for themselves, she decided to take an evening art class at an art studio where you could choose a print of a painting and the teachers would show you how to paint it on canvas. The experience was so rewarding that she enrolled in an evening art class at the community college. One thing led to another and eventually she became a full time art student at Clackamas Community College. Her first painting teacher was Leland John, who was a fantastic teacher and was gentle, but instructive in critiques. After transferring to Portland State University she switched from a major in fine art to one in graphic design. Upon graduating, she became a book and magazine designer for a local publisher, Frank Amato Publications, who specialized in fishing publications. Graphic designers learn to be creative every day, 8 hours (or more) a day, regardless of whether or not one felt creative. The deadline is always looming and deadlines can't be missed in the print world they are called “drop dead dates.” This is an added skill for any fine artist: learn the little tricks needed to get the creative juices flowing Kathy continued to take occasional art classes, at various colleges and with noted local and national artists such as watercolorists Susan McKinnon, Judi Betts and Roland Roycroft and oil painters Ovannes Berberian and Craig Srebnik. Her criteria when considering a class is this: “When looking at the teacher's artwork, does she gets chills up her spine”. She spent 15 years painting in watercolor while trying not to ruin the carpet. Then she built a studio with the help of her talented son David, which turned out to be the “Cutest Studio in the West.” With the new studio and its laminate flooring, she no longer needs to be careful to “not ruin the carpet,” and is returning to oil painting and loving it. She enjoys the North Clackamas Arts Guild, the members are friendly and the critiques at the meetings are instructive which helps build new skills. Her message to everyone is: “No matter what level you are in art, don’t allow other’s judgments to define you. They can’t see your vision until you have gained the skills to create your art the way you see it in your mind’s eye”. You can contact Kathy Johnson at 503.794.3959 or email at kreativekkj@gmail.com Affiliations: North Clackamas Arts Guild Portland Fine Arts Guild

Kathy Johnson

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