Sharing the Christmas Spirit 2015 : Mike Johnson

 Christmas Watercolour by Mike Johnson

I am receiving the most wonderful of messages via emails from people who have bought my books or attended my workshops. Some are so wonderful that I just have to share and have asked permission from each artist if they would mind my sharing their words and art on my blog. There are many but I am sharing just a few that have touched my heart for a variety of reasons. I think at Christmas time we should be sharing in as many ways as possible. All year I have shared my own art on my blog. Now I want to share others art too with the story behind each painting.

I was absolutely blown away by the painting above of Bethlehem. The use of salt for texture, the composition and the placement of colour is incredible. I immediately asked if I could share this beautiful Christmas Card design inspired by one of the exercises in my book.

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The guest on my blog today is Mike Johnson. 

And here is Mikes' wonderful message that went with the above fabulous painting.

Jean, just wanted to share a little.

Getting ready for the March 2016 class in Vancouver, I bought your book and have been working through the exercises. I was struggling with the exercises where you add bold colors at each half of the paper and merge the colors with water, then add salt for texture.At the same time, my wife was pressuring me to paint a Christmas card. One night, I added some Ultramarine and Indigo to one corner and some Cad Red and Windsor Yellow to the other and moved them around with water. I then added both some coarse salt and some fine salt. As it dried, I thought it looked like the night sky over the desert.... wow! Potential Christmas card... so I added a stone-wall-fortified city and I had Bethlehem. I had not left any white area for the star so I did have to scratch the paint out. But I was satisfied, and so was my wife.

 Have a Merry Christmas,

Mike Johnson

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Thank you Mike and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thank you for sharing and inspiring everyone on my blog too!

 

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