Creativity is one of the greatest ways to express yourself; whether it’s art, literature, music, cooking, and countless others. We humans strive for that satisfying feeling—knowing that we created something new from our very own minds. Even better, this generation has the opportunity to share those passions on numerous platforms online.
Addie Johnson, a sophomore at Stafford, is one of many to showcase her talents on social media. She has the ability to create eye-catching, vibrant, often nature-inspired artwork. Her TikTok page, under the username @addiedraws, which she originally started posting on “just for fun,” has gained over 150,000 followers since 2021.
Johnson’s passion for art began in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a time where many people were trying new things, because we all had more time on our hands than anyone could’ve ever imagined. When she saw others posting their own work on TikTok, she became inspired to do the same.
“I’m kind of influenced by things I see on Pinterest. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a specific artist, just cute little things that I find to be aesthetic,” Johnson shares. Over time, she has come to figure out what her personal artistic style is. She began by attempting more detailed drawings of faces and people, but eventually found that she preferred to draw things such as doodles or landscapes. She explains, “I kind of just like drawing a doodley style, not really that realistic.”
Johnson did not expect her platform to gain the recognition that it has. “My goal was just to have fun,” she comments. Among all of the types of videos she posts, the content that receives the most attention on her account are chalk videos. “I used to do a lot of chalk videos back in 2022 and 2023. Summer [of] 2022 was when they would go viral. I had three in a row go viral, which was pretty good.”
Along with the excitement of receiving such a big TikTok following comes the interaction with other creators on the app. Getting support from people who also post similar content can create what many creators refer to as a sort of ‘family’. Johnson has found it to be quite rewarding. She expresses, “I have a lot of people who I follow and they follow me back, and we just comment on each other’s videos. It’s really nice; I just really like the community.”
Due to her success on TikTok, opportunities have been on the horizon for Johnson. She even had the opportunity to sell a painting, which she gladly took. “I was like, that might be a cool way to make a little money. I made $45, which was really cool.”
When it comes to displaying your creativity on social media, the key thing to keep in mind is that you are doing it for your own enjoyment. Don’t let the fear of others’ opinions stop you from pursuing what you love. Johnson’s advice is, “Don’t feel embarrassed; just go for it.”
