About Elizabeth Johnston

I was born in Scotland but moved to Ballycastle in Northern Ireland, my mother’s birthplace, when I was 8 years old.  It was in this popular and beautiful seaside town I spent my formative years, spending my Summer holidays at the affectionally named ‘boat slip’ or the beach.

Art, in some shape or form, has always featured in my life so it was no surprise that after school, I attended the University of Ulster’s art campus in Belfast where I studied Fine Craft Design.  After graduating and completing my PGCE qualification, I decided to embark on a career in teaching and took up a post at Dunluce School in Bushmills where I ended up teaching young people art and design for 32 years.  The job, though enriching, was also time engulfing and it was only when Covid emerged that I took some time to create my own art, while rediscovering my local north coast with a new and appreciative eye.  I immediately fell in love with painting again and continued to paint in my free time while juggling the demands of teaching full time.  

In 2022 I made the difficult decision to retire from teaching to focus entirely on creating my own art and with encouragement from family, friends and colleagues, started to research and set up my own art business, ‘Elizabeth Johnston Art’.  The opening of my first solo exhibition “Thirty Nine’ at the Roe Valley arts and cultural centre on 10 June 2023 launched this new and exciting chapter in my career as an artist.

Now living in Coleraine, I currently paint with acrylics and take my inspiration from the stunning country I live in, particularly the famous Causeway coast where I spend most days visiting for a walk on the beach or to enjoy a coffee or ice cream.  I only work on one painting at a time and can spend between 15 - 30 hours on each piece.  I would describe my painting style as ‘realist’ but unlike a photograph, with a softer edge, while capturing the ever changing moods, colours and textures of our environment.  I am quite obsessed with detail and while the initial focus is to create a painting which is aesthetically pleasing to look at on a wall, I also want the viewer to be able to enjoy and appreciate the smaller details close up.

I hope you enjoy the website and please get in touch if you have any questions or comments. 

To follow my story and get regular updates, you can follow me on Facebook Elizabeth Johnston Art.

Blog posts