Ali Johnson

Nana - Alice Heaps Johnson grew up in the cherry orchards of Utah, where she lived below the majestic mountain of Timpanogos and hiked its' waterfalls and glaciers yearly. As a child, she lived for eating roast beef and potatoes every Sunday afternoon, camping in the mountains and red deserts of Utah with her large family in an army tent, playing basketball with her 6'7" dad as her only teammate...against her 5 brothers. He would hold the ball above his head, running frantically around, waiting for her to get clear for the pass...always winning.

Crafting weeks at a time with her Granny B's, fruit orchards were the bigger part of growing up while picking cherries was the way earning money for clothes and school activities for her Grandpa Verge. Amongst the winding dirt roads of her hometown, Alice experienced the joy and complexity of life and, like her Granny B, turned to creative outlets as a way to express her experiences.

Alice's first memory of her creative gifts being a repurposed sewing sampler "Winnie the Pooh" from kindergarten. Using left overs she found in her mothers' sewing pile.

When she won a photo contest borrowing a camera from her teacher, shooting flowers. It naturally planted the seed in her heart and love of gardening. She promptly used the $100 reward to purchase her first camera, (so she could shoot more flowers... after all!!)

In 1977 she married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Greg. They set off to begin a life together and many happy adventures.

• There Alice eventually had three children and now 6 grandchildren.
• She desired to work at her career, while at home.
• Being a mother and having the passion to create turned into a 30 year career of creating. Products, patterns, marketing.
• Even pursue a longtime impractical dream: to own several of her own companies.

Alice has had several newspaper, magazine articles, books and T.V. documentaries published. www.findingjoy/alijohnson.

Her most unusual was a Boat show that she hosted on TV each Saturday morning, highlighting her favorite parts of the motor boat while afterwards riding across the lake. Boating, another love of hers and her family.

Alice's work didn't stop with her family or in her career. After Greg passed away at age 49, she turned her love and energy into helping women. She recently created a beautiful stained glass piece of her own rendition, of her wings. She plans to teach through this artwork that took 4 months and many who told her she could never do such a difficult project, as a beginner.

It hangs in her office to inspire others. It reads: "I am my wing's,that allow soaring high in all possibilities. Encouraging others to discover, they too can fly. Celebrate your wing's !" Helping others reach for the best parts of themselves, both creatively and personally in various workshop and retreat settings, as well on her websites in product, publications and musings on her blog.

In essence, Alice is a creator, mother, grandmother, and all around lover of life and people who seeks to express a sense of vitality and connectedness in her creations. She teaches her own mission statement. "I have moxie and each day of my life is one, on which I have decided life is my own, one. It's an amazing journey and I alone am responsible for the quality of it."

Having spent most of her life in the company and love of her brothers, her work grows out of the kindred support she has felt from many of the women throughout her life. She is infinitely grateful for the spirits of these women who walk with her, in sisterhood serving others, on her incredible journey into motherhood, love and life.
Celebrate with her, by reading more about what she is up to: