Christine Johnson Sharing a Piece of Her Potential

Christine Johnson
Sharing a Piece of Her Potential

by Karen L. Wisotzkey

"I drew things I wanted," Christine Johnson recalls of her early childhood artistry. In those days a refrigerator, clothes, and a house with an upstairs (young Christine’s "dream house") were the desires of a Jamaican child. Christine’s artistic talents have come a long way since those days. Now, her pen and ink drawings in an abstract "pattern and design" style represent her interpretations of the pictures she sees. Pattern and design features repetition of the same design, where the rhythm of the pattern becomes the focus. Within the creation of that rhythm, this artist experiences visual discovery, introspection, and motivation.

The ability to create powerful contrast, using black and white, comes naturally for Christine. She feels that this ability is an advantage for her because it gives her artwork a classic look that is always "in." The intricate detail of her work is achieved through the medium of pen and ink, chosen because, "the point is like a needle." Christine describes her artwork as Afrocentric with a universal theme. The dominant factor in each drawing is the message contained in the title.

Unlike her complex drawings, Christine takes pride in her artistic ability for poetry because it is simple and to the point. Driven by emotion and experiences, her poetry expresses sadness and discovery. As her drawing originally represented her desires as a child, Christine’s poetry has become a new outlet for what she describes as "wishy…dreamy." Even though both forms of her artwork are inspired very differently, one unique quality is her ability to connect the two art forms - each drawing is accompanied by a poem with a parallel symbolism.

As a serious artist, Christine founded "A Piece of My Potential," a business that promotes art expressions through creating Limited Edition prints, T-shirts, poetry books, and poetic presentations. This business name was selected, appropriately, because, "Potential is something everyone has. Each gift is a piece."

Christine is fortunate to have multiple gifts that contribute to her potential. Christine’s first published works: And There Was Black - a collection of five Limited Edition prints, and A Journey That Began But Will Never End - a book of poetic expressions that includes the accompanying visual art works, are both currently included in her exhibit at Sweet Passions of Harrisburg, located at 1006 North Third St. As a presentation poet, Christine will share her works with the public in the midst of this exhibit on Thursday, September 25th at 7 p.m. Christine is working her way to becoming a performance poet, and is well on her way with the vocal inflections and facial expressions that bring her words to life.

As an artist first, and a business owner second, Christine finds challenge in marketing her artwork. Consignment work is time-consuming and finding a distributor is difficult. She has had the opportunity to exhibit her work locally at MetroArts, Hershey Medical Center, Doshi Gallery, Nubian Village, and Reservoir Park Mansion, and has also done vending at cultural festivals in Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Altoona. One of her most unique marketing techniques has been home parties where she is able to share some of her poetry, as well as her drawings. As she continues to seek her niche for buyers, Christine has found that creating a business plan is proving to be very beneficial in building a successful business.

Christine has a wealth of plans on the drawing board. Projecting for 1998, she plans to publish another book of poetry, which is to include even more visual art than her first. Showing a family orientation and a respect for her fellow artists, Christine plans to include some of her sister, Nadine’s, illustrations in her second book. Also in the formative stage is a poetic presentation to be performed in her native, Patwa, a Jamaican dialect. Not one to force any of her artistry into existence, Christine is facing the challenge of creating the images of the Jamaican lifestyle for an audience most likely not fluent in the Patwa dialect.

So, what is the ultimate goal for this multi-talented artist? Christine says that, ultimately, "Fashion design just feels right." She has several sketches already, but intends to include everything from fashion shows, to stores, and on to people in this endeavor. Her natural ability to coordinate different looks within the same wardrobe is just the beginning foundation of her creative gifts in the field of fashion.

As she has proven since early childhood, Christine Johnson needs only to imagine that which she desires. Her ability to transition from one art form to another to present those desires is the potential that will carry her through her journey toward her dreams.