We recently had the chance to connect with Persis Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Persis, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me would be drinking tea while reading and/or listening to music. When I’m not doing that, I’m making art. It doesn’t matter whether it’s something personal or a commission from someone else. I usually have a drawing/painting tool in my hand and create something.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I see myself as an illustrator and a painter. I’ve made art for most of my life, but I specialize in illustration. The subject matters I focus on are portraits, figure anatomy, logo designs, character designs, concept art, food, and editorial illustrations. Out of all of those subject matters, the ones I enjoy making the most are portraits and food art. I’ve used mediums such as pencil, watercolor, digital (ex., Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator & Procreate), acrylic, and oil paint. However, I lean more towards traditional mediums such as pencil, watercolor, and acrylic paint.
I’ve spent the last few years working as a background painter for an upcoming independent film. It’s titled “Painting In Darkness.” I’ve recently made artwork for a couple of my coworkers. Other than that, I continue to work as a freelance illustrator.
I’m also preparing to pursue my master’s degree in art education. I’ve been interested in teaching art to others for some time. After gaining experience working with students, I want to use what I’ve learned to guide and inspire them to become artists.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
In my opinion, what breaks a bond between people is when someone doesn’t respect your feelings and boundaries. When they do this, they make you feel insecure in the relationship. It also negatively affects your well-being. This becomes clearer when it occurs multiple times. It’s also made worse when they ignore and invalidate your feelings. It feels like they want everything to go their way, especially if it means making you suffer. When that happens, you feel as though you can’t rely on them for support.
One way bonds can be restored is when the ones who hurt you or someone you care about acknowledge that what they did was wrong. They don’t deflect or blame others. What they do is take accountability for their actions. This also includes a sincere apology from them. The bond isn’t restored right away. It usually takes time for that to happen. It can return when they work to make sure they don’t make you feel scared and/or insecure anymore.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I ever met my younger self, I’d tell them not to be so hard on themselves and not to compare themselves to others. This is especially true when it comes to my art. When I compared my work to my classmates’ (especially during high school and college), I felt like I was a terrible artist. These feelings would become worse if I were given more (or only) suggestions than compliments on my work.
I’d tell my younger self that she has plenty of time to grow as an artist. Even if it doesn’t feel that way, the suggestions I’m given aren’t meant to hurt me. They’re meant to enhance my skills. I can also observe what my classmates and professional artists have made and use them to inspire my work, too. This is something I still tell myself when I’m working on a new project.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
It’s a cliche thing to say, but I believe that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. That usually means to treat others with respect. However, I do also believe that you can’t expect everyone to give that same treatment back.
Others only think about themselves. These same people believe they should be respected (especially when they’re an authority figure), but don’t give that same treatment back to others. From personal experience, I’ve learned that these people don’t want respect. They want control over others. When you try to call them out on their behavior, they will either justify it or gaslight you into thinking you’re wrong. It shows that you’ll never receive respect from them. It’s also best not to interact with them. Instead, you should surround yourself with those who will give you that respect.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
They would miss how helpful and reliable I am. This is something I’m known for, no matter what kind of job I have. When someone is unable to perform their job, I’m usually the one asked to come in and fill in that role. They would also miss my caring and empathetic nature. When someone has an issue they’re dealing with, I sympathize with them and help them come up with solutions.
This is something I’ve heard from my current coworkers. They’ve told me these are the main reasons why they’ll miss me once I start grad school. I’m glad that I’ve left such a positive impact on them. Because of that, I’ll miss them as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://persisjohnson.wixsite.com/persisjohnson
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/persiswashere/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/persis-johnson-942388a3/
- Twitter: https://x.com/persiswashere
- Other: https://bsky.app/profile/persiswashere.bsky.social
