I live in the Cathedral Close, Lichfield. I’ve lived here since 2014 and
am lucky to live in such a beautiful and historic place. I volunteer at
Erasmus Darwin House on the edge of The Close. I work at Lichfield
Cathedral School as Chorister Matron to the Cathedral Choristers
and part-time as a graphic designer.
© Steve Johnson, 2021
I am also an artist, and although I haven’t done any artwork for a
while I will be starting again some time very soon.
I’m single, gay and have also been diagnosed
with Asperger Syndrome.
I have always loved outdoor pursuits and spent a lot of my time in my teens
and twenties caving, mainly in the Staffordshire and Derbyshire Peak
District, but sometimes further afield as in this photo of me in Swildon’s
Hole in Somerset.
We spent much time exploring and searching for caves which had never
been seen before such as some we found in the Manifold Valley in North
Staffordshire.
I’ve had a very varied career. I
trained and qualified as a graphic
designer but soon after qualifying I
joined Staffordshire Police where I
worked for several years. A complete
change led to training as a journalist
and working for the BBC for several
years before redundancy in 2002.
I then set up as a self employed
designer before moving to Lichfield
and my current job as Chorister
Matron at Lichfield Cathedral
School.
Having stopped exploring underground in
my twenties I then took to exploring some
of the wilder mountain areas.
I walk and climb in the mountains of
Snowdonia but have also visited the Swiss
and French Alps many times. Here I am half
way up the almost vertical cliff above the
village of Les Vigneaux in the Ecrin National
Park in France.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
Home Models Artwork Photography Writings Out & about Contact me
SJ
A violin illustration I created in Xara, from my own violin.
Ii took a long time to create . You can see some of the complexity by hovering your mouse over the image.
This reveals the wire-frame view of the layers which made up the finished illustration.
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Artwork
I paint in many media, the examples here comprise oil, watercolour, digital media, ink and pastel.
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Photography
Some examples of my photography. Not many descriptions, just photo’s with a few locations where appropriate. Some are abstract.
Home Models Artwork Photography Writings Out & about Contact me
SJ
Holyhead Mountain
Llyn Padarn, Snowdonia
Crib Goch, Snowdon
Crib Goch, Snowdon
Snowdon
Beddgelert
Pelvoux - French Alps
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Remains of the old Bishops Palace
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Page 2 >
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Photography
Some examples of my photography. Not many descriptions, just photo’s with a few locations where appropriate. Some are abstract.
SJ
Lichfield Cathedral
Lichfield Cathedral
Tryfan
Jungfraujoch
Eiger
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Photography
Some examples of my photography. Not many descriptions, just photo’s with a few locations where appropriate. Some are abstract.
SJ
Glyders
Cannock Chase
Trugberg from Obers Mönchsjoch
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Models
I’ve been making models since I was quite young. I mainly make period ship models, sometimes from scratch
and sometimes from kits which I modify to make them more accurate.
HM Brig Badger 1776. Hand built from plans to a scale of 1 inch - 10ft.
HM Naval Cutter
‘Speedy’, 1828
Hand built from plans
to museum scale 1:48.
The only photo of
Speedy I have, the
model no longer exists.
Miniature early
17thC warship,
scale 1inch - 100ft.
Approx 2in long.
Viking Longship
1:50 scale
Early 17thC Frigate. 1:72 scale
12 Gun Danish ship 1665
Partially completed hull
SJ
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Out & about
Police officer, 1980s On
duty at Rugeley carnival.
Just leaving Number 10,
October 2006. Don’t ask!
Caving, Swildon’s Hole,
Somerset, early 1980s
Caving, Hillock’s Mine,
Derbyshire, 1970’s
Jungfraujoch, Switerland,
with mom, 2005
Climbing, above
Les Vigneaux, France,
2013
Home Models Artwork Photography Writings Out & about Contact me
1964 - 1967
For five years lived in Brownhills and met Martin, who many years later started caving with.
1967 - 1985
In 1967 we moved to Rugeley, where I lived until moving to Lichfield. Most of my education was while living in Rugeley.
1987 - 1995
In 1987 I joined Staffordshire Police where I served until II faced a lot of prob- lems when I ‘came out’ as being gay.
SJ
I was born at my Gran’s house in Sheldon in 1959
and lived there with my parents until my sister
Caroline was born. It was my favourite place to
go at weekends and during holidays after we
moved to Brownhills in 1964, right up until my
gran moved in with us many years later.
Me in September 1959, probably my
Christening.
After my cousin Angela’s
Christening, at my Gran’s.
I still have the bureau behind!
A formal portrait photo of me and my
sister Caroline who I was holding
tightly as it was a slippery table!
We lived at Brownhills for five years and that’s
where I started my schooling.
Three doors up the road lived Martin who
became my best friend and in fact we remained
friends for many, many years, starting caving
together in 1977.
We lost touch after we stopped caving so much
but I saw Martin occasionally for a drink. Sadly
he passed away in 2015.
Martin’s mother and
father, my grandad,
mom, me, Caroline and
Martin in Sutton Park,
1966. Dad was taking
the photo. I remember it.
In 1967 we moved to Rugeley, where I lived
until moving to Lichfield. In our late teens,
Martin, my sister Caroline and I started caving in
the Peak District. This grew into a small group
which steadily expanded as we gained experi-
ence. Trent Valley Caving Group lasted for many
years.
The photo left is me in the Wagon Gate of
Hillocks Mine.
Excavating Darfar Ridge Cave, First pitch in P8
and caving in Hillocks Mine.
In 1987 I joined Staffordshire Police where I
served until I faced a lot of problems when I
‘came out’ as being gay.
I really enjoyed my years in Staffordshire Police
and it might have continues had it not for the
very real problems which arose once they knew
I was gay.
However, it made me a stronger person and I
don’t regret what happened at all.
Policing the parade in 1992.
From 1995 started working for the BBC at
Pebble Mill in Birmingham.
After leaving Staffordshire Police I went for
some careers advice and ended up working for
the Careers Service for six months! At the same
time, I met John and through his advice gained a
place on a media journalism course which got me
in to the BBC at Pebble Mill in Birmingham.
I worked on Countryfile, Good Morning with
Anne & Nick, Midlands Today, the Press Office
and then the News Video Library before working
in the newsroom again helping set up BBC
Birmingham Online and then looking after their
arts coverage. I was made redundant at Easter
2002. I loved all my time working for the BBC.
Soon after redundancy from the BBC in March
2002, dad became very ill. In fact, I finished on
Thursday before Easter Day and dad was taken
ill on Saturday and rushed to Ysbyty Gwynedd in
Bangor. He was diagnosed with cancer and died
later that summer.
I went straight from working for the BBC to tak-
ing over from dad, mom didn’t drive. I set myself
up as a graphic designer again and mom and I
spent several years going back to the caravan in
North Wales regularly and climbing and walking
when the weather was good, I loved those years
together.
Mom became ill in 2012, diagnosed with demen-
tia and then an aggressive cancer, She died in
2013.
After mom’s death in 2013 we had to sell the
house in Rugeley and I moved in to the Cathedral
Close in Lichfield.
I quickly made many friends here, started to
volunteer at Erasmus Darwin House and then
for the Lichfield Festival and then as a tour guide
for the tower tours of Lichfield Cathedral.
Apart from these roles, I now work at Lichfield
Cathedral School as Chorister Matron to the
Cathedral Choristers.
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Writings
Home Models Artwork Photography Writings Out & about Contact me
SJ
Dealing with a consumer society
Blog post July 2012
A polite smile and “No, thank you” are all it takes when you answer a knock at the door to be greeted by someone with a badge and a clipboard.
Well, that’s all it usually takes anyway. Sometimes they respond by INSISTING that they are not selling anything, when you know full well that they
are. Then a slightly more abrupt approach is needed. …
Read more (External link to WordPress Blog)
Being autistic in the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic lockdown
Blog post May 2020
The period we are all living through in this Covid-19 pandemic is proving to be a steep learning curve for everyone. Life has changed beyond
anything we could have dreamed of even just a few months ago. …
Read more (External link to WordPress Blog)
The discovery in Darfar Ridge Cave
Blog post June 2020
… After some discussion back at Wetton Mill we decided that the only dig worth pursuing now was the passage which Martin had noticed in Darfar
Ridge Cave the previous year. We had spent some time then digging a small low passage to a tight bend which we could not quite get to.
Read more (External link to WordPress Blog)
Building bridges – being gay in the police
Blog post June 2020
As a direct result of the treatment I received from my police force I have thought long and in depth about the issues raised. When I first joined the
police service as a special constable back in 1987 I knew full well that I was gay but my sexuality was pushed into the background, my prime concern
at that time was my career, I hardly ever thought about my sexuality.
Read more (External link to WordPress Blog)
© Steve Johnson, 2021
Contact me
Please use this form if you want to contact me.
Thank you for your interest.
Home Models Artwork Photography Writings Out & about Contact me
SJ