It started with a sketch ...

Being from a fairly remote farming district - I was never exposed to the creative arts in any way.

 Even at boarding school we were not encouraged to dabble in artistic endeavour, so the opportunity to explore creative ability was not an option for me. However I was always taken by design of any form, whether it be fashion, interior, landscape, photographic - these areas held great interest for me.

 After a career in the media industry I began working from home running a management agency while raising our two children. I was always looking for a creative outlet - whether it be fabric art, mosaics, quilting, photography  - something to take me away into that magical space where your own ideas can branch out. After years of dabbling in many different forms of creativity including the opportunity to renovate two houses and design interiors - I thought I would have a go at art, I was obsessed with the idea that it might a possibility for me. 

© Vicki Lee Johnston

This simple picture was done freehand with one of the children's pencils - while looking at a photo in a magazine. It only took a short while and I was so surprised to think I could draw something that looked recognisable! I followed the image with my eyes while my hand seemed to follow my line of sight, taking the mind out of it and just translating what I saw on to paper.   Being my first ever drawing with tonal values, it was at that moment I understood it's all about light and shade.

Time to learn more!