A Momentary Beauty

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Krista Johnson, "Breathe In," 2017

oil on canvas, 60" x 60" (photo by @byron_cameraman)

If winter’s chill is getting you down, Vancouver artist Krista Johnson may have just the antidote. Her paintings, whether a mass of tangled flowers or a quiet pond, are potent reminders of summer’s warm abundance. She focuses on quiet moments in daily life and is interested in how paying attention to her surroundings puts her in a contemplative space and fuels her energy. “I am curious about how these fleeting moments can have such a strong impact,” she says. 

Johnson’s work has ties to her childhood. She grew up in a house with a yard but now lives in an apartment, so enjoys getting out to parks and gardens with her children. “I’m always trying to find nature within the city,” she says. 

Her show, The Places Between, at Vancouver’s Ian Tan Gallery until Jan. 31, features 12 paintings of things she has seen while out walking or riding her bike. She snaps a photo and then paints using four-by-six-inch prints as references so she can capture the setting and mood without getting distracted by every leaf or petal. 

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Krista Johnson, "New Pathways, New Routines," 2017

oil on canvas, 60" x 60" (photo by @byron_cameraman)

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Krista Johnson, "Everything Feels Just Right," 2017

oil on canvas, 54" x 54" (photo by @byron_cameraman)

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Johnson worked as a designer and illustrator after graduating from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2000 with a degree in communication design. But in 2015, she decided to focus on painting because she was tired of feeling envious of people who were making their own art. She interviewed several artists to find out how they got started, set up a website and decided "to see how it goes.” How is it going? “It’s been great,” she says. “I’ve been really fortunate to sell whatever I paint.” ■