personal works
Blue
a.k.a. the coalescence of
an evanescent miasma
Watercolor & Mixed Media
11x14 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2011
Like many of my original pieces, Blue began as a stream of conscious doodle. I started the sketch in 2010 but did not complete the watercolors until 2011. Blue was showcased in a small cafe gallery the fall of that year.
Conveying that which can be felt but not seen:
Blue in an attempt to express the incredible power of human emotion. Sometimes we feel so strongly that we cannot put our emotions into words.
No matter how flawless and stoic the mask we choose to hide our emotions appears, these powerful feelings will undoubtedly seep out of our every pore. Those who are close to us can feel the shift in our presence, and if we are lucky, they might understand without needing to hear a single word.
L’Esprit d’Automne
an art nouveu autumn spirit
Watercolor & Mixed Media
11x14 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2011
A fire haired Goddess brings the changing season. She is the bounty at hand, the harvest to come, the turning of leaves, the of shortening days, and an omen of the winter that will soon follow.
One could say I am a little biased when it comes to the four seasons.
This lovely redhead was initially supposed to be a vector illustration for a silk screen t-shirt design, but about half way through the drawing I realized I much preferred the idea of painting her instead. She was also completed in 2011 and made her first public appearance at the same cafe gallery as Blue.
Midwinter has come
The Beauty in Simplicity: Sometimes Less is More.
Ink & Watercolor
9x12 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2010
In 2010 I found out a good friend of mine was struggling. Her birthday was coming up in November and I decided to surprise her with a watercolor painting.
This piece still has strong fantasy elements, namely you can tell I’m a Tolkein fan, but I wanted the focus to be the message more than a detailed scene. I wanted to tell her to hold on to Hope.
It can be so hard to see the light shining at the end of the tunnel when we are troubled, especially when our troubles seem to be in abundance. But knowing that there is at least one person out there who loves us and believes in us, can lend us the strength to carry on.
Even in the dead of Winter,
When the blithesome colors of
Spring, Summer, and Autumn
Have fled from the icy chill
Of the wind and snow,
And only shades of gray and brown
Sare to linger,
There is beauty.
— Samantha Johnson 2010
Twisted
Wonderland
Watercolor & Mixed Media
11x16 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2008
“You are running out of time, My Dear.”
In 2008, I was invited to take part in a ‘Twisted Wonderland’ themed gallery. Wonderland is already a place of the bizarre and unexpected, so I loved the idea of making it even stranger, and took a gothic and mildly unsettling approach with my art.
Even though this is one of my oldest pieces, I still love how the stained glass window and white rabbit turned out. Apparently, a lot of other people do too! This is still one of my most popular pieces to date.
“Alice awoke to find herself in a strange room with no doors and only a single brightly lit and ominous stained glass window. She could hear the muffled sounds of a clock ticking and someone softly chuckling. Yet, with exception to the stool she was sitting on, the room appeared vacant.
On the windowsill beside her sat a dish of brightly colored pills. Beneath it was taped a list of where each color would take her. She realized this was her only exit and chose a color accordingly. But just Alice brought the pill to her mouth, the color changed! How frustrating.”
Rainbow
heartbleed
Emotions are a lot like colors; if you have too much, they might start to run.
Ink & Watercolor
9x12 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2013
In 2013 it was my turn to have troubles in abundance. Well, there were several years of troubles, to be completely honest. Again I took a more abstract approach to expressing both the turmoil and the healing happening inside my heart. I didn’t have any plan in mind when I started drawing, I just knew I had something I needed to get out before it poisoned me.
I am happy to say I can no longer relate to the sad and vulnerable woman who painted this image. I think some part of her knew that painting her feelings would create something beautiful, and at the very least, it would bring a little light into the dark clouds surrounding her. I am glad she chose to do so.
This piece still holds a little bitterness for me and I was rather relieved when I sold it. Funny enough, it is still one of my more popular paintings.
The buyer of the original was thrilled to have it. She fell in love with both the design and the colors. Most people only see the beauty in it, and I find this deeply reassuring.
Flora & Faun
"What care I for human hearts? Soft and spiritless as porridge! A faerie's heart beats fierce and free!"
— Oona, Legend (1985)
Watercolor & Mixed Media
4x6 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2014
This piece is of course the concept that inspired the story for my Quest coloring book the following year.
Still healing, still adjusting, and still searching for my own personal truth, Flora & Faun, was yet another therapy painting. At only 4x6, it is a rather small piece.
I remember feeling the need to create something with bright colors, but I was still too bitter to draw anything cheerful. To be honest, I was being a bit stubborn. The fact that this little faun picked up my sour mood in her expression is not lost on me, and this might be why I was so relieved to sell the work shortly after.
Like Rainbow Heartbleed, my buyer was overjoyed that the art was available. She fell in love with the character’s attitude. Once again, it is important to remember that perspective is everything when it comes to the interpretation of art.
Goddess
of Feathers & Flight
Elemental, Guardian Spirit, & Air Sign
Ink & Watercolor
4x6 Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Completed - 2014
This elemental Air goddess was a get well gift for a very dear friend of mine. Originally inspired by a sketch card I’d drawn of the Celtic Death Goddess, The Morrigan, I wanted to give him something just a touch more cheery.
While he was in the hospital, I used this piece to help keep my mind focused on something positive. I sent the art to him in hopes that she would look after him when I could not. To my great relief, and his, he ended up making a full recovery.
Original Character
concepts
I was raised on a pretty steady diet of fairy tales and fantasy stories, so it’s not surprising I would dabble in writing one myself. While the story I was working has been moved indefinitely to a back burner, these three concepts remain among my most popular works to date. They have even resulted in several private commissions requesting the same format and style.
Isuvare
Daughter of Avragorn
"Though barely thirteen, a great age already showed in her eyes. Those ever-changing pools of blue and green bore witness to misfortunes that one so young should never be a part of; war is no place for a child."
Pencil & Digital
Fall 2008
Each concept consists of a detailed pencil sketch with digital color and collage. Nearly a year passed between their completion, starting with Daughter of Avragorn and ending with Prince of Shadows and Bringer of Storms. Coincidentally, this also shows a small evolution in both my skill and style of the time.
Ruby
Keeper of Immortal Hearts
"With her left hand shall she who bears the heart of Nah-Ahgwen shield the innocent, and with her right hand shall she bring great wrath to those who would oppress the weak and defenseless."
Pencil & Digital
Winter 2010
Caledrorne
Prince of Shadows &
Bringer of STorms
“For the love of her innocence, a forsaken prince spared the life of a young girl and swore an oath to protect her from the ruthless banner he grudgingly served. He could not have known the repercussions to come for this single act of compassion, but in time he would understand what it was that she inspired in him.”
Pencil & Digital
Fall 2010