“For the great doesn't happen through impulse alone, and is a succession of things that are brought together” — Vincent Van Gogh (A life in Letters)
Hello!
I am an Artist, a passionate Maker, an Author and Illustrator of two children's books (Mr. Bob's Magic Ride in the Sky, 2002 and Six Owls and A Party, 2015) and an Early Childhood Educator. After working for many years in advertising as a layout artist, art director and freelance graphic designer I established mosaicworks (2005), a small design studio that embraces traditional fine art (painting, drawing and mosaicking).
Author/Illustrator
Six Owls and A Party, is a self-published children's picture book that celebrates the ancient art of mosaics while giving a style called Picassiette a fresh and contemporary spin. It tells a simple tale of Six Owls and one party. With it, I've visited many diverse schools in and around the Greater Toronto Area, with an author reading and mosaic workshop called The Magic of Mosaics, happily celebrating literacy through art.
Artist/Educator
My creative abilities paired with my understanding of child development form a well-balanced partnership. I see how the two worlds complement and enrich each other especially within the framework of an emergent curriculum.
Karen Johnston (BFA, RECE)
PAST TRADE SHOWS
Reading for the Love of It Conference, February 2017, Toronto
Reading for the Love of It Conference, February 2016, Toronto
The Word on The Street Festival, September 2015, Toronto
Interior Design show 2014, Toronto
Interior Design Show 2010, Toronto
Mosaicworks was featured on The HGTV show Pure Design, 2009
The episode; Madeleine's Bedroom, from season two.
Interior Design Show 2009, Toronto
Interior Design Show 2008, Toronto
One of a Kind Spring Show 2007, Toronto
SOME FUN STUFF
In December 2017 I worked with The Ad Agency, Juniper Park\TBWA, to create two mosaics using just tic tacs for their client Tic Tac Canada.
It was a couple of long, fun days spent with a wonderful creative team that produced two videos for Instagram. The first time-lapsed video is of a mosaic being built and the second, reversed, time-lapsed video is of a mosaic exploding then coming back together.
All photographs are copyright of Karen Johnston via Mosaicworks. If you would like to feature my work please credit Mosaicworks.
