We interview
Victoria Johnson’s work is driven by a passion for colour and embroidery. Now she is helping others turn their creativity into careers…
Victoria Johnson
Based in Rome with her husband and children, Victoria Johnson has led a successful life in design on both sides of the Atlantic. For 20 years her unique imagery has appeared on textiles, stationery, gifts and homeware. She also runs the online course Creative Christmas to help new designers create successful products. She told us what inspires her every day… Can you tell us about your creative path?
My parents are very creative and encouraged me to be. I was given a set of oil paints and a canvas for my eighth birthday – I painted a self portrait!
I went on to study Fashion Textiles at Birmingham University – it was more like a Fine Art course – the experimentation and exploration still influence my approach to my work now.
How did you end up designing textiles in New York?
I won two travel bursaries in my final year at university – and I used the prize money to fund a trip to New York, where I visited several design studios and showed them my portfolio. As a result I was offered a job designing textiles for womenswear and left England to go and work there just three months after graduating.
What was the experience like?
I was very excited and apprehensive about the move but soon found myself in a huge community of British textile designers. After a few years, I opened my own studio with three partners. We created every conceivable type of fabric design using hundreds of different techniques – including lots of embellishments and embroidery.
We have to ask – how did you end up living in Rome?
I met my husband two weeks after I arrived in New York! He’s Italian,
I love colour and texture and embroidery is the perfect way to explore those things
from Rome. After our daughter was born I insisted on moving to Italy for an easier life. We live in the suburbs and I work from home in my studio while my kids are at school – and sometimes evenings and weekends.
Does the city inspire your work?
A new pack of pens or threads or paints is more likely to make me want to create something than a walk somewhere. That said, we have a beach, a pine forest and a beautiful city within half an hour.
What is it that you love the most about embroidery?
I love colour and texture, and embroidery is the perfect way to explore those things. I once found a tiny sewing shop in Orvieto and discovered they had an entire range of embroidery threads. My daughter was nine at the time and her face just lit up when the lady brought out tray after tray. We walked out of there with over a hundred gorgeous colours. That alone is inspiring – and the ways they can be used are limitless.
If we were to look in your sketchbook, what might we see?
A lot of flowers and birds. I like them because they make great vehicles for colour and texture. You’d also see quite a range of materials and techniques.
Why did you start online classes?
I’ve been designing for the Christmas market for over 20 years and know that it’s insatiable. So many designers struggle to find the ‘formula’ that will attract the attention of retail buyers. I decided to offer courses because I do Skype artist consultations and so many artists seemed eager to create Christmas art but were at a loss as to how to approach it. Since then I’ve created another course, Explore Florals, and will continue to develop more.
The online course is structured to accommodate all levels and preferences for different materials. They are an opportunity to explore and experiment in a way that inspires their curiosity. I provide a lot of background information as well as a beautiful moodboard and unique colour palette. I don’t try to teach people to do what I do. The emphasis is on developing a unique voice.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to make the move from hobby to business?
Treat it like a full-time job and invest the time. Make sure you have a professional business practice that includes an appealing and relevant product, a comprehensive online presence that you maintain, and a structured approach to your day.
What are you looking forward to the most in 2019?
I’m going to focus on my online classes. I love putting them together and love seeing how artists interpret my ideas. I also want to continue to push my own boundaries artistically. I quite fancy painting on big canvasses – and stitching on them!
You can find out more information and also sign up to Victoria’s newsletters by visiting: www.victoriajohnsondesign.com