Sea Flower

Sea Flower is a daughter of Florida’s Nature Coast, reminding us of our connection to the natural world and the calm it brings. Inspired by the sea anemone and the bold King Protea bloom, she bridges ocean and land. Her flowers symbolize love, loss, and remembrance.

About the Artist:

Elizabeth A. Johnson

Since she was a child, drawing designs for costumes under the loving eye of her great aunt, who was an opera seamstress, Elizabeth A. Johnson immersed herself in art. From simple pencil drawings to pen and ink, her artistic voyage took her through airbrushed acrylic, oils, and watercolor before she discovered the delicate effects and intricacy of colored pencil.

After she retired, she took a workshop at a Tampa gallery and followed that with seven years of classes by one of the country’s most renowned colored pencil artists. She continues to hone her craft with workshops and retreats.

“The magic of colored pencils is that you can make your work look like a watercolor or oil, depending on the paper or ground you use. With it, I can achieve the details that eluded me with other media,” she said.

The subjects of her art followed an equally winding path through portraits, wildlife, miniatures, and neoclassical painting. Each step added to her skill and artistic understanding until she found her love of floral art, enchanted by its subtle and sometimes explosive color, complexity, and detail that she continues to explore.

A resident of Brooksville since 1980, she takes her inspiration for botanical art from her verdant lanai and the flora of Hernando County.

Elizabeth is a member of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) and its local chapter and has been an active member of the Dunedin Fine Art Center, the Exhibiting Society of Artists, Brandon Art League, and Tampa Regional Artists. She had four solo shows in the Tampa Bay area from 2019-2024, along with numerous gallery shows. She was juried into the prestigious CPSA international show five times, where her artwork received two awards. She recently received signature status with that organization.

Artist Website: elizabethajohnson.net
Facebook: facebook.com/bettie.s.johnson
Instagram: instagram.com/bettiesmuse