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EAST BELFAST : PEOPLE IN PROFILE intention to never lift a paintbrush again. However, last year after being made redundant she started drawing again. She drew one picture and just kept on going. Tanya has now painted and drawn over 150 pictures, and after putting some of her work on Facebook, people started buying them. This success inspired Tanya to start her own business ‘Mai Art’ (Mai being her middle name). Tanya’s distinctive artistic technique, which she calls 'Bendy Style’ was inspired by a visit to Amsterdam a few years ago: “I loved and was fascinated by the buildings 'leaning' over and looking like they were talking to each other,” said Tanya. “They were so popular on Facebook, so in November 2013 I held my first ever Mai Art Exhibition. This went very well and I was relieved as I thought no one would come to it, never mind buying anything!” The popularity of her work and the success of the exhibition has brought Tanya’s work to a wider audience, but she still has high ambitions: “Now I sell to a few retailers in Belfast and Holywood, however, I would love to get my work out there to other places. I have finished my series of Bendy Belfast Drawings and now I am about to begin a series of Bendy Dublin Buildings and a series of National Trust properties and a series of Churches and Cathedrals around Ireland.
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE EAST BELFAST LIFE CHATS TO LOCAL ARTIST TANYA MAI JOHNSTON WHO TELLS US ALL ABOUT HER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE STORY Tanya Mai Johnston lives and works as an artist in East Belfast. Originally from Vietnam, her journey from Asia to Northern Ireland is an extraordinary story that wouldn’t look out of place in a Hollywood movie. Born in Vietnam, Saigon in 1974, Tanya lived in an orphanage for a short while. In 1975 Tanya, and 98 other orphans were so severely ill that The Daily Mail intervened and had them airlifted to London for emergency medical treatment. Sadly two orphans died on the plane to England. Tanya and the other orphans were all brought to hospitals in London. After a period of treatment and 36 East Belfast Life
recovery Tanya was placed in a childrens' home until she was adopted. Tanya and one other baby were eventually adopted to a home in Northern Ireland by her new parents, Bishop Ken Clarke and Helen Clarke. Over the last 40 years she has lived in Chile, Dublin, Vietnam, England and Northern Ireland (Coleraine/Belfast). 16 years ago Tanya graduated from University in Lancaster with a teaching degree with Art and Design. Following this course Tanya embarked on a career in teaching and freely admitted the
“If my work becomes well known and successful in the future, I would like to set up some type of centre for underpriveleged kids and adults in Vietnam. At present it's a dream, but I believe anything is possible. I have also written a book about my journey from Saigon to Belfast and everything in between...I just need to edit it and publish it.” With all that she has accomplished and overcome you would not bet against Tanya achieving all these dreams. Tanya’s latest exhibition will take place from 9th-10th May at The Hub Cafe, 22 Elmwood Avenue, Belfast. For more information and to view Tanya’s work visit www.maiart.co.uk or ‘Like’ her on Facebook (Mai Art).
The Ulster Hall, in Tanya’s distinct ‘Bendy Style’.