My Fish Story
My fish story didn’t start yesterday. It didn’t start last year. You see, I have never known life separate from the water.
My sister, Elizabeth, and I in 1995 on Lake Martin, Alabama. Aren’t we cute?:)
We found a picture not too long ago of myself as a newborn, buckled in a carseat, multiple life jackets strapped around it, out on a boat ride with the family. It makes me laugh. That is my family’s norm. My parents loved the lake, their dates in high school consisted of waterskiing and picking each other up in the boat on Logan Martin Lake.
Their adventurous spirit and love for the water played out in my life and siblings’ life every day and is a (water) legacy. It was a sink or swim attitude (pun very much intended) to love the water. I am already enjoying passing the love for the water to my kids as well.
My grandmother, mother and aunt in 1968 on Logan Martin Lake, Alabama. (I love that my grandmother is driving the boat.)
I’ve always wanted to be an artist. However, what I thought my female artist self should be: a romantic, whimsical, floral painter - and I really tried to make that happen ( and really admire my artist friends who are:). However, along my creative journey, I found that art comes out in a lot of different ways, and maybe what you think you should be, is not what you are meant to be.
My husband actually convinced me to paint just fish. I love nature, and I love the water. I naturally loved painting fish because that is where is my story is. That is where my roots are.
I have done most types of fishing (fly fishing, deep sea - bottom, trolling, pier - shrimped, crabbed, floundered), have snorkeled, scuba dived, experienced all kinds of boats (thanks to my dad who kinda has an obsession with them) and am so ready for some water adventure right now!
My husband and son with his proud catch on Lake Martin, Alabama in 2021.
Yes, fish inspire me. Not because I’m obsessed with the scientific nature of them (though I find that part fascinating too), but because that is what my memories with my people are tied to. When I look at the catfish I painted, I think about my 4 year old son pulling his first one out of the water - beyond thrilled! When seeing my rainbow trout artwork, I think about my first experience fly fishing with my husband in the mountains, as he very patiently taught me to cast with a fly rod.
This new path is so fun for me. I hope you find encouragement and joy in it as well. Whether it’s wading in our muddy backyard creek barefoot or fly fishing the scenic rivers of Montana, no matter, how big or small - we love it.
Us, people of the water, you can’t keep us from it.
Thank you for being on this journey with me.
-Emily G. Johnson