Her Story
About Marilyn
Marilyn Johansen is a fine art instructor and author with extensive experience teaching acrylic and watercolor painting. She currently leads independent art classes and workshops through ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale and runs her own business offering instruction to retirees. Her background includes education around the world at a Belgian school in Brussels from 1955 to 1957, DODD schools, and graduation from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1971. As a watercolor artist, she has competed across the United States and had paintings exhibited internationally. She is also the author of the memoir My Father's Secrets, focused on her father's military career as a World War II fighter pilot and prisoner of war, which she promotes to help others understand military family life during the Cold War era.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Marilyn
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My mother's advice was, if you don't toot your own horn, nobody's gonna toot it for you.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Enjoy what you're doing, have fun with it, don't try and be a search for perfection, because we're not perfect. But enjoy what you do, and let go, and let your creativity come out.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In Florida there are all of these centers for retirees looking for activities so I have no challenge in getting people. ArtServe allows me to rent space at a very reasonable rate to teach these classes and I run my own business.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My value is my family, and my children, and those are my most important things, and to be real, to be honest, and to work for what you get.
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