Endless fields of vineyards, windswept sunny coastline and little villages submerged in emerald green.. this time I’m in Santa Cruz where Johny Vieira is spending his days in a colourful art studio located in adega – an old typical Portuguese wine cellar. So here I am – in front of historical building magically marked by number 7. Barefoot with a warm smile and joyfully sparkling eyes Johny opens the door and my journey begins..
Could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hey I´m Johny, I live in Santa Cruz, Portugal, and I like to surf and to create basically.
When did you start painting? How did you get into it? And why watercolor?
I used to draw and paint but just for fun, and without having bases behind, like many kids, but 3 years ago was when I went to learn properly in a technical school of drawing and painting.
I was making waves sculptures before but felt tired and limited with it, and that’s what pushed me to go to another field, to have more freedom in what I want to create. Watercolor attracted me by the fact of how the water plays with the pigments, and once you start to control the water, it´s pretty fun. I also like the transparency and lightness of the layers on top of each other, but I do not think I will be attached to watercolor forever, I´m just discovering it, and maybe in some time, I will go to another media.
Did you ever face rejection as an artist? What were your biggest fears when you started?
Not yet I guess, just because I didn’t have been searching to expose in galleries and stuffs like this, but I´m sure they will come 🙂
The fear I felt and feel sometimes is to don´t know if I’m going to can live of it or not, to pay the bills next month. But, it´s not bad this fear, I try to use it a an energy to push myself to work harder and better.
What message, feeling or idea would you like to transmit with your artworks?
Honestly, I´m still really focused on learning technical things, to have the tools to transmit better the feelings and message in the future, but still during this process, in most of my works, I want to share the passion for surfing, the gratitude to mother nature giving us such an amazing thing as waves to surf. I know for some it will just look a beautiful beach, or a surfer with a board, but I know others will feel what I feel, that inner peace of the moment, when you are connected with the ocean. The goosebumps of a secret spot pumping, the share with friends, the essence of surfing basically, like sacred art, for some it’s just a statue, but for believers, it has much more in it.
I also have a deep need inside to create strong messages, with an impact on the world, which is something that I´m working on.
What inspires your artworks? Who are your favorite artists here in Portugal and do you have any favourite ones in the world?
My inspiration is surf in his pure essence, you breathe out what you breathe in I think. My favorite artists in Portugal, as watercolor artist Eudes Correia is my favorite, as surf art, my friends Daniel Espirito Santo (photography) and Lizzy (Illustration) . Then I love a lot of different types of art, Mário Belem, Wasted Rita, Vhils, Odeith, Pedro Podre, Andre Carrilho, Fatinha Ramos and for sure many more that I trully appreciate their art, but can´t remember now. Out of Portugal, Banksy is for me a genius of today’s era. Pierre Schimdt, Wolfgang Bloch, Golsa Golchini, Albeniz Rodriguez, and so many more damn.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering choosing an artist path?
I still feel a bit too fresh to give advice, but from my modest experience, work hard, in your art, absorb things from artists that you admire, then diggest it all together and create something yours, that comes from inside, something original, something that people will look at and say, that´s from that artist! Then, in the beginning, you need to work in marketing, cause even if you are the da Vinci of this century, you need to let it be seen by the world, if your purpose is to live of your art of course. But the most important is to invest more in getting better and unique, cause it´s an organic marketing tool itself.
Would you deny or confirm the “starving artist” stereotype? Is it possible for someone working with arts to make a living from it?
I think internet created a new opportunity for artists . Now its easier that someone from the other side of the world see your work and buy it. before, it was more selective, you needed to be presented on galleries, appear in exhibitions, etc., and until you get to that level, you may starve a bit. But now, ok that internet is a wild jungle market, thousands and thousands of art, where the most crappiest thing are at one scroll of a contemporary masterpiece, but the opportunity is there, a free market to everyone. So sure it´s possible to live of art, maybe not as easy as working in a bank, but for sure less boring.
How does your daily routine look like?
Luckily, I first check the forecast and see when the surf will be good during the week, so my days play a lot with the conditions and tides, when surf will be really good, I will not do much apart of surfing, when the days will be bad, I will paint a lot or doing other things related to work. But don´t think this means I´m always surfing, no. It just works this way cause where I live surf is not so consistent 🙂
But lets define a day: wake up, take some bananas, nuts and coffee, water the plants, go surf at the sunrise, drink a coffee outside calmly, come back home and go to paint, when I need a break from painting or feeling it’s not the day, then I go to the computer, answer to emails, receive and print the orders, go to the post office, maybe check the waves again if the wind didn’t pick up, paint more, dinner, and then maybe go paint a bit more (but in a free style and experimental way) watch a movie or read a bit, and go to sleep.
How long do you live in Santa Cruz and what do you love the most about this place? What are your favorite spots and why?
I was born in Switzerland, but my father is from here, so when I was 9 years old, we moved back to my father’s village, near Santa Cruz. Since then I have been mostly here.
Santa Cruz, it´s calm (not the ocean) but the lifestyle, everyone says hello to each other, the lineup is made of friends, no massification of surf (yet), and yeah, my family and friends for sure make this even more special. My favorite spots in Santa Cruz? As a gentleman, I will not say names, but I invite you to come and explore.
What does the ocean mean to you and your art?
The Ocean is a pillar of my life, I know it’s cheesy but it is what it is. Since I started surfing it has been the key to my well-being, physically and mentally, and spiritualy I guess. Then art has been just a consequence of this relation. Even job-wise, from working as a lifeguard and giving surf lessons, it has been sustaining me many times. It really is a big part of me.
You might also like
