First and foremost my paintings are about people, nature and relationships and so people need access to original art- to a distinct, unique story. I do everything possible to keep my prices down. Recycling and reusing help. I work in different mediums allowing for a  wide range of costs. Some work takes hours and hours, some are quicker, spontaneous less worked. I price by materials plus time. A benefit of not relying on reproductions to boost inventory is I must paint constantly. This hones skills and vision. Another goal is to root my art and business in my community as well as provide the space, materials and knowledge for those wishing to explore the visual arts to do so.

My subject is marine creatures and birds that are sculpted from locally harvested woods that are finished in natural finishes. Each piece is designed to high-lite the natural grace and beauty of the animal and the unique features of the wood.

I’m a transplant from Seattle. Having traveled in a VW bus around the US, living in several cities including DC, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Seattle, I chose Maine as my place to settle down and get more serious about my creative work.

My work includes

• Multimedia and Up cycled Wall Art
• Welded garden sculpture
• Hand forged copper and iron work
• Sterling and Copper Jewelry
• Custom Work available
• Garden design 
• wildlife and edible landscapes

I’m most widely known for my jewelry made from the copper reclaimed from the Maine State House Dome.

My studio, now fondly referred to as the “Belle” is located in Wilton, Maine.  Formerly known as the ‘Wells Fiddlehead cannery’ which operated for 4 generations canning dandelion greens and fiddleheads.  As I build it out, I will offer classes in blacksmithing, fold forming, pottery, jewelry and more. Please sign up on the website for updates about classes and events.

Vera Johnson is a jeweler, blacksmith, and mixed media artist whose work centers on transformation through material. Working primarily in hand-forged steel, reclaimed copper, and clay, she creates jewelry and sculptural forms that explore resilience, vulnerability, and renewal.

With a foundation in clay, Vera developed an early understanding of material manipulation—how pressure, heat, and touch can shift form and meaning. That sensibility carried naturally into welding and blacksmithing, where fire and hammer became essential tools in shaping both metal and metaphor. Jewelry allows her to bring this forged strength into intimate scale—objects worn close to the body, carrying story and presence.

Her mixed media work often incorporates reclaimed and repurposed materials, assembling what was once discarded into something purposeful and alive. Sustainability is both philosophy and practice: a reflection of her belief that nothing is without potential.

Through blacksmithing, metalwork, clay, and wearable art, Vera honors the relationship between steel, fire, and the human hand—embracing both softness and boldness as essential forces in creation.