Embracing life through art encompasses many wonderful objects and forms. In dawna johnson's approach to art she draws from her past and what she calls her "First Spring of Life."

In that First Spring dawna was a Mother, a wife, and the owner of a Television Casting Agency. While being surrounded by actors and actresses, the world of advertising and television commercials brought many characters into her psyche. From fantasy to whimsical to realism these characters were born and stored in her mind and heart forever.

Dawna has found that as life presents hardship she pulls within and these characters emerge. Almost like a cast of clowns to cheer you up when your down, they tiptoe out onto the table. Always someone from her past through her work in movies, television commercials or life in general.

Dawna has always been an avid animal lover and draws some of her inspiration from animals and their characters. Cats are a specialty with their independent personalities. She also enjoys the relationship of animals amongst each other. The playfulness, the movement, and the form from their bodies. Mother and baby sculptures are always dawna's favorites and these can be found in her bears, cats, seals, sea otters, and pigs.

Dawna's passion with clay sculpture started in 1979 in Fresno, California. Being an animal lover, her pieces at that time were domestic as well as wild animals. Injuries from a car accident in December of 1981 halted dawna's enjoyment in clay for 17 years. In 1998 while attending California State University in Sacramento dawna tried again to experience her love for clay. Through exercise and pain management she succeeded.

In May of 1999 dawna received her BA in Art Studio and graduated Magna Cum Laude with her class.

Dawna is now in her "Second Spring of Life" and working hard to develop her story through art. She has studied under many wonderful teachers as Peter VandenBerge, Robert Brady, and Joan Moment at CSUS and Gary Pruner (watercolor) painting at American River College. All of these artists have influenced her to broaden her arts and master working in watercolor, acrylic, mixed media and advanced hand building in clay.

"Life will always present obstacles and you have a choice how you deal with them," states dawna. "My current pieces are all about life. They are designed to make people embrace life and use their emotions to show them that through art you can catch a moment in time that will make your heart sing."

Artist enjoying "second spring" in her life
by Linda Canfield Scott (originally published in CSUS News & Notes)

What inspires an artist to create? In Dawna Johnson's case, her love for art and the emotional satisfaction that comes from creating a work of art is the driving force behind her talent. She can wake up one morning with a vision of a sculpture or painting and there are times when she just starts building her clay and a form starts to emerge. Serious or whimsical, each piece contributes to Johnson's strength and courage to follow her "art path."

In 1966, Johnson was living in Santa Maria when she first started working with clay. Her passion later gave many children and adults a special understanding of the medium. Johnson taught group workshops and also worked one-on-one with students from 1979 through 1981. During this time, Johnson was commissioned by interior designers, specialty shops and a major department store to design and create works of art. One order was for more than 100 pieces. Shortly after that delivery, Johnson was involved in a car accident that would put her career on hold for the next 17 years.

Just two years ago, Johnson actively pursued her passion again. After enrolling at CSUS, she studied under Peter VandenBerge and received her bachelor's degree in studio art, graduating magna cum laude with her class in 1999. Now creating her art out of a local studio, she attributes her rebirth as an artist to VandenBerge and a dear friend who was an interior designer, the late Wendi Johnson.

"Wendi was determined to get me back on track with my art," states Johnson. "In October of 1998, I had a very successful art show that was coordinated by Wendi. Recently, she passed away at the age of 46 from colon cancer. In honor of her, I have redesigned my signature to include a 'W' at the end. Therefore, she'll always be a part of everything I do in art."

Not just limited to sculpture, Johnson has created jewelry and paintings for many private clients and retail establishments.

In what Johnson calls her "second spring of life," she plans to "continue to sculpt, paint and educate people in the world of art. Through this, I find fulfillment, comfort and emotional well-being that brings a true balance in life."