Carol Johnson

People often ask artists "How long have you been painting?" For me, the answer is "forever". Although I first took brush to canvas in my early teens, I have always viewed the world around me with art in mind. The color of fall, the play of light on water - these images were studied and committed to memory for future reference.

In the same vein, people will ask, " How long did this take to paint?" The same answer applies. Not only do years of painting experience play a part in the completed work, but also years of observing the world around you, touching and learning the textures of objects, the way light touches and affects surfaces, the shift of colors in different settings and conditions.

Art is so much a part of the artist that there is no clear distinction between where the technical ability ends and where the soul of the artist begins.