Biography:

Cher Johnston has been creating art all of her life, from painting to handcrafts. Born in Michigan, she has resided in California for much of her life where she has been teaching painting for the past six years. She has recently embarked on the creation of a new line of felted purses but continues to paint on surfaces from tee-shirts to walls.

Education:

Certified “One-Stroke” Instructor

Exhibitions:

California State Fair; Carmichael Artists Exhibition

Awards:

Blue Ribbon Award Winner, California State Fair

Artist's Statement:

I have been crafting since a very early age. My mother was a seamstress and taught me to sew starting when I was just five years old. I was a color-inside-the-lines kind of kid, but had a lot of fun with textures and shading as a small child. I also really loved those paint-by-number kits that we did when we were kids.

As an adult I began to love painting, any and all kinds of painting. I have painted on just about every kind of surface you could name. I have designed miniatures, crafting whole rooms on a very small scale; designed many pieces of my own wardrobe; designed and crafted purses, hats, aprons, notebooks, gift bags, gift wrap, picture frames and furniture; painted wine-glasses, plates, flower-pots, jars, vases, tiles, trays and placemats. In looking for even larger projects, I painted the entire inside of my house by myself and then added faux finishes and decorative painting to every room.

In 2001 I took a class with Donna Dewberry and learned the 'Onestroke' method of painting and from there started teaching painting classes using this technique. I developed my own designs and earned a living just teaching painting exclusively for about four years, teaching hundreds of artists all over the country.

Now I have a 'day job' and paint for fun. The Onestroke method is still very prominent in my work as it's very easy and fun.

http://www.chermyart.com