Aimée Johnson – violist

Aimee Johnson grew up in Cumbria and was raised in a musical family. Her father Michael Johnson was a violin maker. She studied the viola at the Royal Northern College of Music, graduating with a BA in Music with credit in performance, and then went on to gain the Postgraduate Diploma in performance. Since leaving the RNCM, Aimee has enjoyed a varied freelance career consisting of orchestral, chamber and solo work. Aimee has organised concerts, raising thousands for MS charities, with the involvement of many of her friends and professional colleagues. Aimee has shown a keen interest in art since childhood, enjoying sketching and drawing mostly with pencil, charcoal and pastel, but only really got into painting in 2019. She works mostly in acrylics but enjoys experimenting using many different mediums. Her works are varied and often very vibrant.

What has creating art meant to you over the last year?

Painting has literally saved me during the pandemic in more ways than one. After losing my freelance music work, I initially tried to secure a place to train as a nursery teacher, but missed the boat. With my love of painting and having already sold some artworks, I decided that this was the best place to direct my energies. A year on, I have sold many works, without which I simply would not have got through the year. More importantly though, it is something that I wake up each morning desperate to do and I enjoy it with a passion.