SPEAKER_00 1:45

Welcome back to another episode of the Hilltop Glove Podcast. Today we have the pleasure of speaking to Christine Johnston. Christine creates abstract, soulful, introspective paintings that represent characteristics we strive to embody, such as authenticity, humility, patience, and resilience. Her art is a reminder of an invitation to continuously seek in the strength, to continuously seek the strength within and have the courage to fulfill your purpose. The images reflect our journey to self-identity, the meditative process needed to get there, and the rewarding peace and clarity obtained if we successfully do the work. Growing up in Jamaica, Christine was surrounded by people who were not defined by their lack of material wealth. Their strength was rooted deep within themselves. This is the energy that her art reflects and reminds others to harness. When she creates art, she shows up at the canvas, surrenders, and waits patiently for miracles. She has learned to release preconceived expectations of how the finished piece should appear. Instead, she listens to a creative and spont and lives spontaneously. She recognizes the healing process and the aspects of her art and knows that her art pieces will add serenity wherever they live. She looks forward to a lifetime to bring inspiration through the arts. How are you today?

SPEAKER_01 3:12

I am wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

Thank you. How are you? I'm doing great. And your pieces definitely speak that language. Yes. Thank you. So we kind of like to start off each episode explaining your history and background. Like your bio said, you're from Jamaica, but tell us what it was like growing up.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Sure. I was born on the island of Jamaica. I had four sisters and one brother. And life was simple. And it's the same simplicity I find myself craving today. We didn't have electricity, so therefore no television. So that's where the creativity started because we had to make and create our fun. My first art teacher, I would say, was my sister. So we would do things like say, create an art scene of a grocery store just randomly and have art contests within the family. And I remembered her helping me to fix certain things that weren't quite right. Fast forward when I was 10, we migrated to America and lived in Pennsylvania forever, it seems. So I went to college at Chippensburg and minored in art. And then after graduation, I ran into my counselor from high school and she encouraged me to start selling my art. So that's in 1994 that I started selling my art. From then until March 2000 2024, I did art part-time. And I finally found the courage on Women's Day, International Women's Day, March 8th, to resign from my full-time career in human resources and become a full-time artist. And I am now at peace and I am fully aligned with what God wants me to do at this journey of my life.

SPEAKER_03 5:28

Man, that's amazing. That's amazing. Wow. So I have to ask this, and I'm happy that you said this. Um and I just this is gonna come to in the next question. We're talking about vulnerability and et cetera, but being able to transition from full-time work, working for somebody else as opposed to working for yourself, pouring your life into that. I know a lot of our audience and our listeners, lots of questions about the the jump and having the faith to make that type of jump is very hard. Um and it doesn't always turn out properly the first time. Could you explain or embellish a little bit about what it was that you had to do um spiritually with yourself to say, you know what? I'm done serving them, I'm gonna serve myself.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Well, God has been tapping me on the shoulder forever. Oh, you've been messages. Many, many messages, and I'm thankful for his patience with me because it's been a long time. And I would just say, you know, but I I I got these bills to pay. You know, like he isn't the one providing in the first place, right? So I had to make some decisions. You know, my parents were getting older as well, so I wanted more time with them. Um so I had to make a choice, and I knew that I did not want to put art on the back burner anymore. Um I had a coach, Carrie Ann Lawrence, that also helped me to make that transition. And it was important to have her because she showed me that I'm not running away from anything, but I'm running to myself.

SPEAKER_03 7:27

Oh, perception. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

So it was like um I was always running away from myself, and I finally turned around to meet myself in its wholeness. So I'm now whole. Um that's how I can explain it.

SPEAKER_03 7:49

Is there a market difference? I always like to ask folks this because we is there a market difference of Christine before and Christine after? Are there certain things you can point to and say, Yes, I can see that change definitely in my life and what I'm doing?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

Um I'm a lot more confident because I just I feel whole. I'm showing up as a whole person. Yes, instead of the person before desired, had this desire. Well, desire has met the being.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

Yeah, yeah. And that's a totally different pursuit of it.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

Oh, it's totally different.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

It makes you move differently. You probably take your pursuits um without fear.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 8:36

Because I think that's a big thing that a lot of us deal with is fear.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 8:39

I'm afraid to do this, I'm afraid to do that. I know I was talking to my brother about this. Some of the stuff, um, issues that I'm having even with the pockets, like doing certain things. It comes to do I really want to put everything into it? Do I really want to put all my eggs in that basket? Yeah. Am I not afraid enough to move forward? And that fear can be stifling, and it can keep a lot of us from actually fulfilling our life purpose.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

And the alignment comes from being aligned with God. So I I no longer am looking to myself for strength.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

Ooh. Right?

SPEAKER_01 9:12

So I just I just know. Yeah, and I listen more. Yeah. So as you said, you don't walk around fearful. Yeah. You just learn to tap in and to listen.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

You know? Can you talk about um the process of being more vulnerable and how do you approach each piece?

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Sure. So vulnerability, surrendering. Um, when I show up, you know, art is teaching me how to be a better person. So the same relationship I have with a piece of art, I'm learning that's how I need to show up in relationships with people. So I learn to listen more to the art piece. I learn to be patient. I learn not to be controlling, manipulate the piece too much. I learn um to spend time with the piece. Just as I have to spend time with people to develop that relationship to hear what it's trying to say. So I've learned that art is my teacher. When I show up and I am in that moment, that's when I feel the closest to God. Um so having time and having um solitude when I create is critical because you don't want the interruption of that flow, you know, the phone is off because that ding interrupts the flow.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Right? Like the connection, it downloads. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes I create in silence, sometimes I create with music. And with music, now that I'm more in touch, I have to be careful. You know, and I laugh because you know, my first love is reggae music. You know, we love it. We love it over here. That beat is done, yeah. Yeah, but and sometimes the lyrics not too right, right? You know what I mean? But but I love it. But now that I'm more sensitive, I have to be careful in what I'm listening to. Yeah, I find. Um, so hopefully that ends up. Yeah, perfectly, actually.

SPEAKER_03 11:56

That's awesome. Because and I I want to chop off what you're saying with um with that, because I mean a lot of folks that listen to our podcast, we have musicians, uh different types of artists, different mediums, and etc. And I like that you when you're creating creating that the space and that opportunity to be a vessel, you are open.

SPEAKER_01 12:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 12:18

And I like they said about music, because the vibes that are coming through the music, the message that's coming through that music, you may not be aware of the effect it's having, but obviously it's gonna be in there. So, like, even with these pieces behind us, um, where you listen to any particular songs.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

Um, yes, um, reggae was a primary source. Um, there are times I listen to jazz, okay. That's my stuff. And sometimes it's silence, right? There's a certain rawness in my work, um, imperfections. I love texture. Um, and if you had to describe reggae, you know, there's there's some raw energy there. Um a lot of the faces sometimes have a serious smirk uh on it too. It just talks about the struggle um that sometimes we embody or have to go through um with the simplicity of life in Jamaica. As I said, we did not have a lot of amenities.

SPEAKER_03 13:30

Yeah, could you build on that some more, just that that background so folks understand? Because of course we're um our audience um mainly we're looking at folks in the Southeast area, and a lot of them they don't have they may not have an understanding of areas outside of America and how those areas are developed. So I was paying attention to this when I was looking at your information and looking at your bio and your journey, and I thought it was amazing because lots of times we'll gripe, we'll cry, we'll complain, and do not realize how good we yeah, how grateful we should be, how good we actually have it. So explain to them just like growing up without certain quote unquote amenities and how you now are appreciative of them now, or how you realize how that actually has changed your life.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Well, um, I'm from Gordontown, and uh, for those who may not know, it's kind of Kingston area, so away from the Montego Bay ocharias.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

None of that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

You're right, in the hills.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

So um, as I said, no electricity, um, no indoor plumbing at that time, but we had fruit trees. I was about to ask farming, right? Everywhere. Oh mangoes and Guinness and Sour Sap and anything you can think of was there, that access. So, you know, these days we talk about living off grid or being grounded. Um that was just life. Right? Walking barefoot outside in the clay, in the dirt, um, was normal. And now I realize how important and how healthy and beneficial that was. Right? So there was a simplicity and richness um that we had while you know the other materialistic things um we did not have. But as a little girl, you know, I would visit others and say, you know, why does why doesn't our toilet flush? Right. You know, yeah. So I would start drawing homes, and that's where my first love is. I love beautiful homes to this day. Interior design. Interior design is something I really want to get into. The architecture. Yes, yeah, and then um fashion design because I desire. That's a little girl.

SPEAKER_03 16:10

I said you're looking very beautiful today.

SPEAKER_01 16:13

You know, but that's a little girl. You want the pretty dresses and things like that. So that's when I started really drawing the things that I wanted, um, and created my reality with pencil. Um so hopefully that answered your question.

SPEAKER_03 16:30

No, answers it very well, very well. I know uh next question we're going to is just asking about arts, culture, and color. And obviously it's very much on display, but the arts often go hand in hand, and um we would like to see if you could just tell us about any other hidden talents that you may have outside of course doing your medium um and with with paint and design for the images. Can you explain the importance of your culture in your work as well?

SPEAKER_01 16:57

Okay. So we talked about that a little bit. The culture is evident in the bright colors. Yes, yes, um, the culture is evident in you see the full lips and the full nose. Um, so that comes into play. As far as hidden talents and things like that, they're mainly desires. And we touched on that a little bit. I desire to partner with others um regarding uh clothing line in the future. Um I desire to see my art on like fine linen, yeah, textiles, cotton, yes, printmaking.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Yes, that was my uh um senior project was printmaking, and I did it on African um Anakara designs, like the print. So I'm looking at how you layered the texture, it looks like snakeskin. On I like that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

But clothing, um, interior design, of course, obviously, with putting art in beautiful homes. And I would love to design rugs. Oh. Um, I would love to design dinner wear. So those are things that I have as visions for the future. I can definitely see it.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

And those things just build on the talent that you currently have, which is awesome. And I I think that's something important for the audience to know too. Um part of me, that you can actually have a talent that you are great at, and there are other ways for it to be used outside of your normal spectrum that you work in. Um and I I know I I'm gonna ask this again because how do you get all alright? So I know you kept talking about this color because apparently you like color. Yeah, yeah. I can tell. I mean, head wrapping everything. So can you explain us just a little bit? I mean, and you can walk from piece to piece um and explain it because we can have time. Um the the reason for the color, if there's any specific uh meaning behind it, and how did you get these textures? Because I'm looking at these here with the snakeskin almost in the design, and then how it looks like it's kind of stitched together on these as well. What was the the impetus behind that? And how did you what was the technique used to get that that out that effect?

SPEAKER_01 19:17

Sure. So as far as um technique and texture, um I use a lot of recycled products. Oh. So say we're looking at the red piece, it's acrylic paint. Okay. Um these pieces here are sticks that are painted on. Whoa. Um it's on the this, let me just say this is a reproduction. That's what I was wondering, yeah. So the original, you will see this is actually a stick. This is paper where um you use to protect the things when you're shipping.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Yeah, you wrap it. Yeah, you wrap it. That's what it looked like. I thought so.

SPEAKER_01 19:56

That is exactly what it is. And the netting that you see under the eye there is basically the fruit um bags, the bags that fruit cut. So you just cut, yeah. Um I play.

SPEAKER_03 20:14

I see that.

SPEAKER_01 20:15

I show up and I I play.

SPEAKER_03 20:17

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Um a lot of it is tissue paper on that, and at the very bottom corner where you pointed there, that's another stick right there. So I tend to use the pieces of sticks in there as well, and acrylic paint. But I I fell in love with tissue paper because my earlier works of black and white.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Yeah, I saw that.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

I was challenged, or maybe you call it afraid, to uh get into color because mixing to get the right color sometimes, you know, it's challenging. Yeah. And by the time I get the right color, I'm tired. Yeah. Right?

SPEAKER_03 20:59

You've done all that work.

SPEAKER_00 21:00

Acrylic dry so fast, so it's like you gotta move fast. Right. So do you have to face it?

SPEAKER_01 21:07

And and um the answer is no, because now because I use tissue paper for my color most of the time, the color is already there. Okay. So I can go back to feeling, functioning in the feminine energy versus thinking. Okay. Um, and that's how I show up at my peace.

unknown 21:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 21:31

I I I feel.

SPEAKER_03 21:32

You really are channeling the peace.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

I I feel. Yeah. So I become one with it. So I'm not I'm not thinking the moment I start thinking too much, nothing happens. It lets it lets me know that you're not in control of this. Right?

SPEAKER_03 21:46

So you really are surrendering.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

Bring yourself back to because it's not working.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

You just walk away and come back, or yeah, so you walk away, or I I reel myself in, so you're thinking too much.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

How do you stop yourself from because that I and that thing? This is something just to talk about with um creatives in general, you'll run into um writer's block or creative block. Any techniques that you use to help yourself refocus and ground yourself when you know, hey, I'm going too fast, all these thoughts racing through my mind, I need silence.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

Yeah. Nowadays it comes easily because I realize nothing is happening. And I I say it's because you're trying to control the process. Okay. So the switch happens in my brain, and I just I feel, I start to feel the piece instead, and I look at the piece and just study it. And it talks to me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

Now I have a question. How do you know how to price each piece? You said you were having trouble, you know, uh when you first became an artist, and now you're doing it full time. So how do you actually know what price to mark the a piece? How much time do you put into it?

SPEAKER_01 23:05

Yeah, or and that's a good question because I researched that because I was like, how price you pay. Yeah. And there was a gentleman that talks about a price per square inch, whether it's a dollar, two dollars, five dollars per square inch. So when I first started out, I sort of used that. And then if I saw that it sold, I'm like, okay, that that may work. So I I used that in a way. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Um I see some pieces out here that are just like, okay, who's gonna afford that? Where did they come? Did they give them roll some dice? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

Yes. So you just have to think about the market that you're in as well. Um whether how well known you are as well. And also value. Oh, that's what I was about to ask. Do you value yourself? And you know what you think yourself worth is as well. Um so a lot comes into play. Okay. But it it's it's not easy for an artist to to put a price on a woman.

SPEAKER_03 24:11

What's I was about to ask? It's your child, it's your baby, you birthed it. Right. And and I have this question, and just building off that, with market. The current market that you're looking at, what would you consider your market to be like the demographic that you would want to sell to, and what have you witnessed pricing-wise, that is a pain point where they can't go past that threshold? This is a question I've always wanted to ask artists about just pricing paintings and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

And and I'm gonna answer it, but if I don't answer it exactly, let me know. You're good. So um what I realize is that if somebody really wants the piece, they'll pay for it.

SPEAKER_03 24:49

Yep, they don't care.

SPEAKER_01 24:50

They don't care. So I realized that if if you may say, Chris, this is just too much, I like it, but it's too much, then I realize it's okay. This piece may not be for you. Um, but would you like a print? Um and that Thank the Lord for print. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 25:11

My fault, I apologize, but I'm the guy, I'm like, yeah, that in a print.

SPEAKER_01 25:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:15

I can afford the print, and then when I get right, I'll come and get the painting. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:19

And and to your point as well, that's one of the reasons why I did the book. Yeah. Because there's access at a price point that I think is accessible.

SPEAKER_02 25:30

Yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

And I want my art to be accessible. Um, I think it's important, especially for children, to see art and feel art as a young age, like you do music. I agree. Right?

SPEAKER_02 25:44

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

And unfortunately, we do introduce children to music immediately, right? Yeah. But art, it's not the same. Right.

SPEAKER_03 25:54

No, there's an access issue with it, and a lot of it is due to cost. And and it's which is weird to think that.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

It's it's important. And then the education system, you know, removing some funding from arts to fund other areas is just because art is therapy, and these kids need that's the only type of therapy they could probably get in the school system. Yeah. That's a that's actually besides the guidance counselor.

SPEAKER_03 26:17

Mm-hmm. You're not lying. Um, and the idea of just being able to go to a gallery and looking at art to be able to have some kind of interest um peaked from that to then have your own journey with it. They don't do that anymore. It's hard for that to happen still.

SPEAKER_01 26:35

Yeah, that saddens me. Yeah. It really does. Because I I just know what it does for me and for those who uh consume it.

SPEAKER_03 26:47

And it does so much for you, but like you were saying, getting back to it, I'm I'm gonna agree with you on this. Access is is the biggest deal breaker for some people when it comes to art in the traditional sense of it. But at the same time, I want the artists to get paid and reap some kind of reward for what they're putting their soul into because I want the artist to have a good quality of life. I know there's um David Banner talked about this on an interview, and you talked, you you were hinting at this a little earlier, making sure value is perceived by those who are actually ingesting the art and that they know that you value yourself because the higher your value is for yourself, those folks will see that and they will respect it and actually pay that price point to have access to that art because they know that you're aware of your value. And until you do that, you're leaving yourself at a disadvantage, and then for the youth, they look at it, and if they don't see that you're valuing yourself, or that there's not value to be had in something, they will leave it. They won't touch it, they won't interact with it, they won't have anything to do with it. And I always thought that was interesting because um what's the word? Uh let's say it like this. So the whole poor righteous teachers idea of artists and etc., in our community specifically, hurts me because a lot of those folks are the people who are actually pouring into and giving uh information, education, feelings, and emotions that are positive and good for development, but they don't have much value. Instead, we val we put value into things that are a lot of the things are negative to our society, whether it be music, whether it even be video, um, pieces of art that are made, a lot of the the positive proponents that are out there, they don't get that same value added. And what the children do is they run after the stuff that's getting the value. So this guy, he's driving in this car, he's living this lifestyle, he sells this type of art. So I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna go after that one as opposed to somebody who's out here trying to put positivity out, but the value for the art is low.

SPEAKER_01 29:05

Yes, and the the question too with my art is what value do you put on inner peace? Because the art that I do is to inspire and direct your journey to inner peace. It is to remind us to make inner peace our priority. It is to remind us that we're responsible for our inner peace. So when there's a piece of art on the wall, it is uh to be served as a partner piece on a daily basis, to visit on a daily basis. To remind yourself, to remind yourself. You know how they always say if walls could speak. Yeah, they can, and they are right. So what I create is meant to be a long-term part of your being and family heritage, okay? To remind us that our inner peace is so important.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

It needs to be a priority, it needs to be a priority instead of everything else that we have going on. We put everything in front of that. And I can get that because um I do art also, but I don't show up. I do not show up to the painting. I I'm doing all this other stuff, workforce, everything, but I have not shown up to the piece. And now that I'm listening to you, I'm like, wow, I haven't put it as a priority. It's not even on my schedule. And that's it's the beer that he was saying earlier that was blocking me. So that's asking all these questions about pricing, um, the texture, you know, showing up for yourself and the techniques you use to calm yourself down when you're overthinking. Yeah. Because I go through all of that. Yes. But you have to like slow down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

Yeah. And um once you once you hit that alignment, you know, like the Rubik's Cube. Yeah, yeah. Once you line those colors once once those colors line up, right? There's no going back.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

Yeah. You're different after that. Oh no, there's no going back. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:23

Do you teach classes? Not at this time. Now, I did in April the first Art Journey to Inner Peakshop. It's a multi-sensory workshop. Ooh. With art, aroma, yoga, and sound therapy. I'm coming. When's the next one? When's the next one? I don't have a date yet, but the first one went well. It was magical. Yeah. It was about 20 women together. And um it is so necessary to take time to be and build community with others. Yes. Um, I look forward to doing the next one. Um, it was about uh two hours, and you came in, and you found your place in the circle and the sound therapy is going. I don't know if you've ever experienced Sound Bowl healing. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 32:24

Hertz frequency. It's just amazing.

SPEAKER_01 32:27

It makes you cry. It cleanses you on the inside. Um, so that's going, and then after that, we move to the art walk and we journal. What are you feeling? What are you seeing? We come back, we share, and then um we do the yoga, um, and then we end with affirmation. So that's just a super short version of what happened, but it was magical.

SPEAKER_03 32:54

That does sound magic.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

It was magical.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

You definitely will let have to let us know about the next line. If it's just we're not a problem, still let us know. Send to my items.

SPEAKER_01 33:07

Yeah. And you know, it's available for if you want an alternative when you gather with your friend. It's true, yeah. You and 15, 20 other friends want it to make it happen, make it happen. Okay. Corporate America would love to do it for that. Right. That's the goal.

SPEAKER_00 33:26

Everybody needs it in the workforce. I'm telling you, art is just a release, it's an easy release, kind of like stretching and yoga and breath work, all of that. It's free and we don't take advantage of it.

SPEAKER_03 33:39

You can put time to it. Uh, I guess this leads us into this, into this is the question, but we get to the fun stuff I would like to say. But creativity. Yeah. Obviously, that's what we're discussing today. Um, it resides in all of us. Would you be able to tell us about how your creativity has grown over the years? And what are some pivotal moments for you that our audience may need to hear that would help spark their growth or continue to push their interest past the fear and the worry and the doubt?

SPEAKER_01 34:14

Well, looking at the pieces, how it's changed over the years. Um, I moved from black and white. Um, I do incorporate it still, but now I am fearless when it comes to mixing and blending colors because again, I'm creating from a space of um bringing the energy, the work to life. Uh-huh. So not inserting myself too much in it. So the place from which I create is different, is from full alignment. Um, it's from a whole place. Um, so that's what's different today. Pivotal moments. Um I will mention uh years ago I used to go to the October Gallery in Pennsylvania. They used to have a huge art exhibit. And I had a chance to see Kimi Cantrell's work in person. He's an artist out of Atlanta. Uh-huh. And he created these abstract faces. And when I saw his work, it was kind of confirmation that somebody else sort of thinks the same way I do. Yeah. Um, with abstract work. And yes, there were other masters in the past, but when you see a live person who looks like you is doing that, I'm like, oh, I'm not, I'm not crazy. I'm not too out there. Yeah. Um, so that was a pivotal moment for me to see um someone who I just felt akin to. Yeah, you know?

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Because art speaks. When when you look at someone's artwork, you're like, oh, I'm relating to them on so many levels. Yes. Especially when they talk about their piece and explain it, are the process that they took, the steps they took to get to the layers. You're like, oh wow, I did the same thing with my artwork. I thought about the same process, but I didn't try it. I did this instead. It's like experimenting and see who's brave enough to actually put it out there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:25

And when you have a little bit of company, you know, you feel um, yeah. Community. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:32

I have a and I know this is why I said, ooh, we're getting fun stuff. So I'm gonna ask you some off-topic questions. This is stuff I was looking at.

SPEAKER_01 36:39

Sure.

SPEAKER_03 36:40

Why did y'all choose, or why did your parents why did they choose to settle in Pennsylvania? I gotta ask that because I thought that was interesting. I was looking at your background and when you went to school and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 36:51

Sure. And when we first moved here, we moved to Maryland. Okay. And stayed with family for about a year. And I don't know if you know the economics of living in the Maryland area. Maryland area and trying to buy a home. Because, you know, one thing I've learned from my parents and my father particularly, you know, we never rent. You know, so buying a home was important. Yes. That was not possible. Not in that area of land, yeah. We just moved to the country. Yeah. So we were able to do that in Pennsylvania. Okay. Um, and we just stayed there for years until the cold just starts to get into our bodies. Why? Because y'all can't go to Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

It was rough. It was rough. It's cold up there.

SPEAKER_01 37:45

But as a child, it was easier. Um, but as you grow older, you're like, no, living in a fridge is not normal.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

No, you have to see greenery. You need the naked, you need the bird. I need to see land. We need the sun. That's why I like the country.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

Yes, we like the sun.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

I like down south. So we visited and on the first visit we we bought.

SPEAKER_03 38:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

It reminded us so much of Jamaica. Wow. And the warmth of the people.

SPEAKER_03 38:17

Aww. That's a happy move down here.

SPEAKER_00 38:20

Yeah. The warmth of the people.

SPEAKER_03 38:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

Can you talk about um the festivals you've participated in? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:26

Sure. So I'm in Moja right now. Um, Sunday is the last day for that exhibit at the City Gallery on Prelude Street. Um, the artist reception is um three to five. Three to five, yeah. Um, on Sunday. Okay. And I'll be there. I've done Spoleto in the past. My art has been submitted for that and selected at the same gallery, uh, City Gallery. Awesome. Um, and I've done a lot of um, not a festival, but with the Okiba Jaballo Gallery. Yes. Um, I've exhibited with them quite often here and in Atlanta. And their next big global art fair is October the 26th. Okay. And you can find out more about it by going online at the Global Art Fair. So the Global Art Fair Fair Um to get tickets. Um, and they're very inexpensive.

SPEAKER_03 39:25

Yeah, tell them and I know we're gonna get to that point.

SPEAKER_00 39:27

They're accessible. Yeah, they're very accessible.

SPEAKER_03 39:30

It's not it's not, it's it's like I was telling her earlier we were talking about this, it's like a can get a donation. Yeah, like five dollars. Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 39:37

You know, or if you want to sit it's fifteen dollars.

SPEAKER_03 39:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:40

And it's not just art. The art is amazing, yeah, but you're gonna have a fashion show. Yeah. Oh, okay. There's going to be live. Yeah. Along with other things. And just the community, that atmosphere, being around people and talking with them about the work. It's very special. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:02

And that's awesome. I know we'll list some the dates and stuff. I pulled everything up so we can look at it at the conclusion. But we always like to ask this question to guess because we are a program for millennials learning how to become successful, move through careers, balance, work, and life. Easiest question, most difficult question to ask or answer. How do you find balance in your personal life?

SPEAKER_01 40:30

It's a lot easier now to preach. I figure, yes. Because I am one. Yeah. I'm one with myself. You're no longer split. I'm no longer split.

SPEAKER_03 40:41

Yeah, yeah, I know what, yeah. That's how I feel right now. Yeah, you are no longer split.

SPEAKER_00 40:46

Do you have a morning ritual or certain practices that you make sure to accomplish every day?

SPEAKER_01 40:53

Well, uh recently I've started listening to the birds. So now I I when I drink my tea, um, most of the time I go outside and I sit. And I didn't realize how loud they were. Oh, they could be there. They were always there. So now I listen to the birds. Um, I also um got into using doTERRA oils for healing. Um just aromatherapy. Okay, because back to the art journey to inner peace workshop, um, Carrie Ann Lawrence um is a another coach that uh taught me about the importance of um oils in healing, just you know, even with bathing for the hair, but just aromatherapy. So I I kind of just sniff my oils in the morning, whether it's tea tree oil or thyme, oregano, um lavender, lavender, peppermint, peppermint, you know, just inhaling those oils um are also important to me. Just to just feel that jolt of aliveness. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:13

You have dropped some jewels on us today, sister.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

Yeah. Do you have any upcoming events um other than the ones this this month that we can help you promote or you want anyone to attend? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 42:24

So other than the Global Art Fair and of course Sunday for Mosia, I do have a solo show coming up next year at the Park Circle Gallery. And that's in North Charleston, South Carolina. The entire month of April.

SPEAKER_00 42:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 42:40

Um, I will be on exhibit there. So I'm preparing for that.

SPEAKER_00 42:44

Okay. So we have to come out and support.

SPEAKER_03 42:46

Yeah, seriously. Yeah. That's also uh yeah, that's a good that's a good month. Yeah, that's a very good month.

SPEAKER_00 42:51

I I've been wanting to attend Park Circle. I saw that they redid it, and I haven't been there yet. So Yeah. Mm-mm. I haven't seen it yet. They redid it. Yeah. I haven't been there yet.

SPEAKER_03 43:01

I didn't think about that. Ah, and I always think he would go down there to go see it. Oh, yeah, it's totally different.

SPEAKER_01 43:07

Okay. So I went there with a group of friends to do yoga, and it was awesome. There's a playground there.

SPEAKER_00 43:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

The swing.

SPEAKER_00 43:17

I heard it's a skate park and everything. Yeah, it's not what it was.

SPEAKER_03 43:21

The swings called you.

SPEAKER_01 43:22

I said and I small. So the playground is not just for kids, it's for adults.

SPEAKER_03 43:28

Yeah. You have to go.

SPEAKER_01 43:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 43:29

Yeah, it's beautiful now.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

Yes. Um, also, my book is coming out, The Art Journey to Inner Peace. It's at the printers right now. They told me that the covers are ready. Um, they just have to stitch it everything together. Um, it's hardback and um 112 pages of art. Um can we pre-order it? Yeah, yes, online at ChristineDjonson.com. Okay. You can.

SPEAKER_03 43:56

And it's affordable.

SPEAKER_01 43:58

It it is.

SPEAKER_03 43:59

It's so accessible, yes. It is. Just for people who maybe think, oh, that's supposed to be $125. No, it's not. It's $50.

SPEAKER_01 44:09

And there's art, there's poetry, uh, there's photography, there's ceramics in there. Um so it's a great collection of art, again, to direct and inspire your journey to inner peace. It's not just a book to sit on the coffee table, it's intended to be used every day. So I gently walk you through the process um through the journey to inner peace. The five paintings that you see here are the inspiration for each chapter. So we start with the shedding, chapter one, which is releasing everything that does not belong to your divine self. And then we go to chapter two, which is courage, um right there. And um basically it's courage to face yourself, to embrace your imperfections. And um, and um I'm sorry, we're gonna go with courage here. What you're looking at there is strength, with this is the third chapter, so it's getting fully aligned with your purpose, and then peace between the raindrops um is behind me, and that's finding balance to finally get to arrival, which is fully aligned with your authentic authenticity and also your purpose. Um each chapter um at the end have uh prompt questions uh for you to journal. So if you fully participate if you fully participate in the book, um by the time you start with a shining, by the end, you should be different. This reminds me of a Phoenix Okay, yeah, Phoenix rising, arrival, yes, it is more than a book, it's not intended to be a coffee taste. That's what I noticed.

SPEAKER_03 46:16

Yeah, it's not a book, it's not just a no, not just sitting there looking pretty. No, it has functionality.

SPEAKER_01 46:21

No, you got you gotta work with it, you have to work it.

SPEAKER_03 46:26

I like stuff like that. That's again when we talked about value. I don't know we're gonna wrap up, but that in itself, I love functional art that has added value. Yes, especially in our community. A lot of times we'll downplay art thinking that, hey, if it's not a Jordan shoe on my foot, how am I using it? No, this is a very useful product. I know I'm gonna pre-order it and I'm gonna use it. My wife and I are gonna be using this book because I think it's very dope.

SPEAKER_00 46:52

We all need some art therapy. We need to have an art class.

SPEAKER_03 46:55

Yes, we need to do it when we have next time we have our meeting. We need to have this book and go through it together as a group.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

So, how can people find you if you are on social media? Um, tell us about your website and everything like that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 47:10

My website is my name. It's Christine with a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-N-E-D, as in daisyjohnson.com. So Christine Djohnson.com. I'm on Instagram as Christine D. JohnsonArt. On Facebook and LinkedIn, it's my first and last name, Christine Johnson. Okay. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 47:31

Excellent. Great episode. Great episode. I want to just again thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you. I think you said this is the first time you've been on a on a set like that. Hey! We'd love to introduce people to it. Exciting! Thank you. We thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 47:47

The artwork speaks for itself. You know, it just it's just good to see people put their love into what they love to do. And it shows. It shows. Yeah, yeah. So thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 47:58

And um, I know wrapping up for the Hill Top Glove. This is DJ and what?

SPEAKER_00 48:03

Tamaya. Scoop.

SPEAKER_03 48:06

And our esteemed guest.

SPEAKER_01 48:08

Christine D. Johnson.

SPEAKER_03 48:10

Excellent. Until the next time, tell somebody next to him that you love them, that you appreciate them, and that you cherish them. We will see you next time on the Hill Top Glove Podcast. Peace.

SPEAKER_01 48:19

Peace.