Hello, I'm Nic.

I'm a designer, illustrator and maker based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

I've always been drawn to making things, drawing, designing, embroidering, making little books, collecting strange images and finding stories in unexpected places.

I'm now beginning to bring these different threads together and explore what they might become as a creative practice.

Line drawing of a castle with tall spires and turrets, and a dragon at its feet.
View of a leafless large tree with many branches in the foreground, a streetlamp at the bottom right, and a tall white building with gothic architecture visible through the branches against a cloudy sky.
Colorful clay flower and leaf decorations on white tiles and a white surface.
A detailed illustration of a dragon, with a fierce expression, surrounded by swirling clouds and flames, in a traditional Asian art style.
Close-up of a fallen brown mushroom among green grass and clover leaves on dark soil, with a blurred forest background.
Indoor shopping gallery with decorative ironwork on the balconies, a glass roof, potted plants, and benches, in a historic style.
Black and white linocut print featuring a square with intricate, stylized leaves and circular shapes, shown in a sketchbook on a wooden surface.
A detailed ink drawing depicts a solitary rider on a horse walking along a rocky path through a landscape of barren trees and cliffs under a cloudy sky with the moon shining bright. In the sky, numerous birds are flying, and in the background, there's a ruined castle perched on a hill.

The things I'm drawn to

I'm interested in that area which lies between the familiar and the strange.

I enjoy starting with something that is familiar and then altering it slightly so that you have to look at it again. For example, a historical illustration could turn into a new character, a beautiful image might show a darker aspect beneath its surface, and a small embroidered item might have a much larger story behind it.

I usually start off with a sense of curiosity – for example, an image I come across, an idea, some text, a colour, a story or something that I just want to create.

Then I combine various elements together and observe the result.

I design illustrated worlds that offer a reward for curiosity.

Illustration

Black and white illustration of a coastal cityscape, showing a large building with a flag on top, overlooking the water with smaller buildings and rocky shoreline visible.

Embroidery

Embroidery hoops with fabric featuring pencil sketches of floral and nature-inspired designs, placed on a wooden surface

Zines

A paper with illustrations of a bird and a dog, with decorative text around them. The bird has brown and gray feathers, and the dog appears to be a black lab.

Found Imagery

Community

People sitting in a waiting area, some using smartphones and wearing masks, with a wall displaying photos and a large banner with the words 'Together for TE TRUI'.

?

A vintage living room with green velvet sofa, floral cushions, a crocheted lace throw, antique frames and paintings on the wall, a small red side table with decorative items, and a large leafy plant. The floor is wooden with a decorative rug partially visible.

A practice in progress

I haven't yet worked out precisely what this practice will turn into.

Instead of treating that as something I had to solve, I'd like to allow myself to experiment. This experimentation could result in a zine, and the zine might in turn lead on to embroidery. A strange character could then become part of a bigger world, and an image might turn into an object, an invitation or a way of getting people together.

What I want to do is keep on exploring those connections rather than making up too early on what the work should be.

It is therefore not so much a final definition of my practice as it is a snapshot of the various lines I am currently pursuing

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS YET.

I'm interested in finding out.

What I’m Looking for

01
More time to make

02
More space to experiment

03
More questions than answers

I'm interested in giving these different threads room to develop.

I want to explore how illustration, embroidery, printmaking, zines, found imagery and other tactile forms might come together to create layered worlds and stories.

A residency would give me the opportunity to slow down. I would like to work with recurring characters, motifs, and stories so that the work evolves through the creative process rather than having a fully predetermined final outcome, while also layering in my own lived experience as a trans non-binary, neurodivergent person.

I'm interested in what might emerge when I give myself permission to make, investigate and change direction.

A little more about Nic

A person with short dark hair, glasses, and light skin stands in a room, smiling while holding an electronic device. They are dressed in a black jacket and floral-pattern pants. The room has various chairs, a metal shelving unit with fabric, a painting or sketchboard, and art supplies.

I’m Nic Johnston, a designer and emerging artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

My background in human-centred design has shaped the way I approach creative work. I'm interested in people, the meanings they make and the ways creative experiences can invite curiosity and connection.

I'm drawn to work that doesn't give everything away immediately, images with something hiding underneath, objects that reward closer looking and stories that leave a little room for the viewer to bring something of themselves.

I'm beginning to explore what happens when I give that curiosity more space in my own practice.

I create layered illustrated worlds that reward curiosity.

This is where I'm beginning.

Still Curious?

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