Hi!
Welcome to my website! I'm Johanna Wieden, and I love painting!
I studied animation at DePaul University, co-own Studio Wizalis LLC, and currently work as a freelance illustrator and fine artist!
Recently, I relocated to Saint Charles, IL, from Chicago, and have been adjusting to suburban life. I am an avid cyclist, so I've been taking my palette with me on rides to capture the charm of the Fox Valley and Illinois Prairie Path.
My Story
When the animation industry changed, I adapted. Instead of embracing AI, my peers and I continued to pursue ways to create on our own.
I worked miscellaneous customer service gigs while founding Studio Wizalis LLC, to create independent animated films with my peers. I also printed my first comic, "Storey's Adventure," and tabled at my first event selling charms and portraits I made while suffering an injury to my spine.
After months of physical therapy and learning how to walk again, every day I am grateful for my ability to go outside. I've chosen to capture landscapes and illustrate for children because I believe we need more whimsy in the world and want to bring a piece of the outside world "in" for those who can't see it, while also teaching the younger generation there is beauty off screen.
