Meet Tara Johnson | Illustrator, Painter, & Crafter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I definitely am outwardly more on the reserved side. Personally, taking risks is a bigger hurdle for me to jump, but a necessary one. I’ve always had the proverb “Leap and the net will appear” in my head my whole life but never really put it into action until I started my art business. Getting out of my head and pushing myself to go do art shows and keep going has been quite rewarding for me, since I do have a hard time connecting with people. To have now found this audience that appreciates my art is really inspiring.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Bruce Timm’s work is my biggest inspiration, especially his good girl art and comic book pinups. I love the look and feel of his illustrations and that has been my biggest influence. I’ve been painting and drawing pretty much all my life but within the past few years have gotten really serious about it and it’s been fun seeing my style develop. I am very lucky to have made friends with fellow artists who curate shows. That has been helpful for me in getting my art business off the ground. I’m very proud of myself for moving forward ‘cause it has not been easy for me as I would remain a hermit if I could, but meeting other artists and admirers of my art has been exciting for me. I’ve learned that if there’s something you want to do with your life, just go out and do it, no matter if you feel ready or not. I know it sounds cliche, but there really is truth to it. It’s not fun feeling bitter and resentful, so any little movement forward is a victory.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I really enjoy theme parks, they are their own little microcosms and it’s fun to just grab a bite to eat, walk around and people watch. I currently have a pass to Universal Studios and their shows and Studio Tram tour are always a must. Speaking of Studio Tours, I love seeing what goes on “behind the scenes” on film sets and shows, so I would recommend the tours of other studios within Los Angeles and also Hollywood museums to see props and costumes. I love trying new places to eat and checking out live music. Researching what is going on in the city can produce some great adventures.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom is definitely my biggest supporter. She’s always encouraged me in whatever hobbies I was into, and I owe her a debt of gratitude for all she’s done for me. Another important addition to my support system has been my boyfriend of 6 years. He always goes above and beyond and is so incredibly helpful to me in pursuing my goals and interests. And lastly would be my favorite artist, Bruce Timm. I have been inspired by his work ever since I was very little watching Batman: The Animated Series and then going on to visit the WB Store in the local mall, seeing his Gotham Girl pinup illustrations and being enchanted ever since.

Website: www.taracosm.com

Instagram: taracosm

Image Credits
Stephen Yan