OntheSCENE
Beyond the Lines
Drawing to inspire, motivate, and fulfill
S t o ry by F el ic ia Fr a za r | p h o t o s by s t e v e v rooma n
M
ichelle Johnson has enjoyed drawing and coloring since she was young. She has found that art, particularly drawing, has soothing qualities that offer her an outlet that exceeds just a hobby. Johnson has used her talents to craft a coloring book, guide others into the world of coloring, and create the Have Color Will Travel community. “I always had a passion for drawing. As a child, I drew my own comics and things like that,” she said. “I’ve been known as a person that loves to color. I’ve been a coloring enthusiast my whole life prior to that.” Just a few years ago, Johnson — who is usually an active person, always on the go — had surgery that had her on a slow road to recovery. “Six weeks of inactivity and pain and not really knowing if I would be able to get back to what I was previously doing drew me into a pretty deep depression,” she said. “Even though I had plenty of things to do, none of them were really taking away the fear and the depression or the anxiety of the future.” Getting tired of writing about her recovery in a journal, Johnson turned to drawing. After completing her drawing, Johnson posted it to Facebook, which garnered a lot of attention from her friends.
