Artist shares her vision through needlework

Paula Johnson of Bigfork shuns the mantle of artist. But with her work featured in a national beading magazine this month and in the White House in the past, she has earned the appellation.

Johnson cares more about sharing her vision than creating an artist's persona.

"I never present myself," she said. "I just present my work."

Most recently, Johnson presented her needlepoint and bead-embroidery tapestry titled "Wedding Day" at the Hockaday "Members Only!" show where it took second place. Her piece went on to win the hearts of the editors at Bead & Button magazine, earning a place in the June edition.

"They have thousands of entries," she said. "They choose those that are more unique. It's really an honor to be selected."

Johnson bubbled up from the sea of beaders with her portrait of an African Ndebele woman in tribal marriage blankets. She stitched the piece in French wool, silk and metallic threads then embellished the piece with seed beads, metal bells, wood beads and a jasper donut stone.

"What inspired me was a book on the tribes of Africa," she said.

Johnson was captivated by the Ndebele stitch, a famous herringbone pattern, displayed in the book. Her vision came in the rich jewel tones she loves within a complex design.

"I wanted it to look three-dimensional with movement in the shoulders," she said. "I bet I pulled it out 10 times. Everything doesn't look like the traditional shawl but it's mine."

By breaking with convention and always raising her personal bar, Johnson evolved from a talented hobbyist to an artist of growing renown. Her needlework journey began as a young girl growing up in Coln, Panama, the daughter of a Cuban mother and a father from the Virgin Islands.

Even as a young girl, she was gifted at needlework.

"I've had a needle in my hand since the nuns put one there in the convent school," she said. "In Panama, every girl child is taught embroidery. It's part of disciplining the mind."

When she was 10, her family moved to New York City. At 17, she moved across the country to California. Johnson spent a career as a customer service representative with Pacific Bell's District 11 in Los Angeles.

She recalled that she had to travel extensively during the stressful time of divestiture.

"I needed something to do to relax in the evening," she said. "That's when I discovered needlepoint. I loved the colors and I loved the fibers."

In 1985, Johnson married her childhood sweetheart Arthur "Sonny" Johnson, a technical engineer for ABC. She said they both fell in love with Montana during trips and decided to retire here, against the advice of most of their friends in the big city.

She said they were concerned that they didn't know anyone here.

"We were here about a week and we had more friends than we knew what to do with," Johnson said. "We have a better social life than we did in the city. It's been a joy to live here."

Once settled in Bigfork, she pursued stitching with a renewed vigor in the studio her husband built for her. With his encouragement and that of her daughter, artist Sharrey Dor, Johnson decided to break out of traditional needlepoint.

"I decided I was just going to go for it," she said. " That's what got me into taking chances and submitting pieces."

Going for it included submitting two stockings to the American Needlepoint Guild for White House Christmas decorations in 1996. Her meticulous stitches met the high standard for the national decoration theme of the "Nutcracker" ballet.

"Mine was on the Oval Office Christmas tree, would you believe it?" she said. "I attended the reception. It was so cool and exciting. Hillary was actually there."

Johnson discovered the joys of beading about five years ago. She began making Egyptian-inspired necklaces along with incorporating the huge array of beads and stones into her needlework art.

She soon pushed beyond the basics of stringing. Johnson taught herself advanced techniques and designs.

"The computer is such a wonderful tool," she said. "You can go online and watch how-to videos on beading sites."

Johnson said that she and Sonny explore every needlework, bead and gem shop they come across in their travels. She also enjoys shopping locally at Powder Horn Trading Co.

"I work with all natural products - glass, seed beads, metallic and crystals," she said. "If you're a beader, you can never have enough beads."

Her design influences come from many sources. She fell in love with the work of Native American artist R.C. Gorman, then moved more into African American art.

"I saw a correlation between Southwestern and African-American art," she said.

Inspiration often comes from the fibers, beads and stones she discovers. She said they speak to her, suggesting the perfect application.

As an example, she held up a white crystal rock with geometric protrusions against a canvas on which she sketched with sun ray-like projections for a needlepoint pattern.

"I'm going to glue it (the crystal) to the canvas," Johnson said. "I can't wait to get started - I lose track of time when I get excited about a project."

Her more elaborate pieces, like the "Wedding Day" tapestry, consume about two months of full-time work. A necklace consumes two days or more, depending on the complexity.

Johnson said her necklaces start at about $100 which doesn't cover her investment in time and materials. The dominant stones alone cost $40 to $75 and she uses only silver- and gold-plated findings, never brass or pewter.

Her needlework, bead and stone pieces start around $350. She put a price of $800 for her "Wedding Day" tapestry but she really doesn't want to sell it.

She said she loves displaying it in her own home, as does Sonny.

"If I try to sell a piece, he tries to discourage me," she said with a laugh. "It's difficult for him to part with them."

Johnson said Sonny plays a vital role as her mentor and artistic advisor. She said she relies on his analytical mind for advice on scale, proportion and balance.

Her husband had an eventful career at ABC, creating and assembling sets for network coverage of events like the Olympics in Quebec and Sarajevo.

"He's really good about seeing and critiquing," she said. "He does it lovingly. I cannot tell you how encouraging my husband is."

It was Sonny who pushed her to enter "Wedding Day" into the Hockaday members show. He also took photos and suggested that she submit the piece to Bead & Button magazine.

Her daughter forms the other half of her cheering section. Johnson reciprocates in praise of her daughter's work as a metal artist creating necklaces, brooches, bracelets, earrings and more. Her work is displayed on her Web site, www.sharreydore.com, and at the Bigfork Festival of the Arts every summer.

"I think she's a true artist," Johnson said.

Johnson doesn't have a Web site up yet but has one in the planning phase. However, people interested in her work may contact her at paula.jhnmax@gmail.com and watch for an announcement in the near future of a two-woman show with art quilter Regina Browne.

Although she blushes when called an artist, Johnson said she has finally come to the conclusion that her work qualifies as an art form. Her excitement and passion for making pieces hasn't diminished in more than 20 years of stitching "with a vengeance."

"It's my therapy - I think it brings balance into my life," she said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.