Artist Statement
I believe that creative thinking is an inherently transformative experience. In my painting, an intuitive approach to color and composition directs the work. This process enables an element of surprise and spontaniety. Water-soluble oils, watercolor, and to a lesser degree acrylic and pastel are mediums I tend to gravitate to, because they provide immediate interaction, allowing me to use my hands to create.
My recent paintings, Sensing Some Treasure in Loss, focus on different stages of recognition and discovery after an initial loss. The series is informed by previous work about heightened awareness, a moment when you sense you are being guided by something both within and beyond yourself. A veil is lifted away, gaining greater clarity of a situation. The works in this series depict perseverance, courage, perception, restriction, and worth. Time Spent at The Mardi Gras continues this exploration, with themes of the opposite natures within ourselves, the masks we hide behind and the roles others put upon us. They also touch upon acceptance and transcendence that awareness brings. Small Wonders, Big Ideas explored the themes of the seeker (expansion, awareness, allowance) in a relatively small scale. The largest sizes were 10"x20" and 18"x18". I just started merging realism with abstraction. Originally, I was painting small watercolors of animals in abstract settings. The inspiration was from totem animals, exploring the feeling of disconnect, displacement of animals from their familiar homelands, displacement of humans within themselves and with nature. I've just begun painting larger verisons now in oil, so I'll see where it leads to.
Artist Biography
Anna Johnston uses an intuitive approach in her watercolor and oil paintings. Her work explores themes of heightened awareness, a moment when you sense you are being guided by something both within and beyond yourself. Anna received her BFA at The College of New Jersey in 2009.
Anna was born in Bronx, NY, and raised in New Jersey. She attended The School of Visual Arts in New York City after graduating high school, but returned to working full-time, while moonlighting as a portraiture artist. It was the sudden death of her father that led her to pursue art education again. Her poetry was the inspiration for a series of watercolors Soul Keeps, which she exhibited locally in 1998. From this, an interest in exploring themes of recognition and discovery after an initial loss began to emerge.
Anna resides in East Windsor, NJ and recently received her K-12 Art Teacher Certificate. She tutors and teaches art, while continuing her painting explorations. Three of her paintings are in William Phelps Hall conference room, permanent collection at The College of NJ and also in private collections.