Natalie Johns

Damian is the Hampshire Poet 2024-26. He works with arts organisations, councils, schools, museums and community groups to get people to connect & have fun performing  and writing poetry. He also does commissions and residencies.  Damian is an experienced spoken word poet. He’s performed at events and festivals around the UK (Royal Albert Hall, Edingburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, WOMAD) and The British School in Rome. ” With written and spoken word, images and performance I explore how we live now: with each other, the more-than-human world and our changing climate.

I am a photographer passionate about social documentary, environmental portraiture, and visual sociology. I try to place ethics at the core of my practice, often working in socially engaged ways and via partner negotiation and collaboration. Previously I was a firefighter for 24 years, and then transitioned to event production, working globally with renowned clients like Duke Dumont, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T and many others. After leaving the touring life, I earned a BA and MFA in photography (with distinction) at the University for the Creative Arts and now here I am doing what I love.

I am a painter and art educator living in Yateley, Hampshire. As a painter, I have exhibited in Hampshire, Reading, Margate, London and Edinburgh, including Women’s Society of Artists and ING Discerning Eye. Mostly working in oils, but also watercolour, pencil and printmaking, my paintings are about challenging stereotypes in representation of socially disadvantaged groups, and very often about motherhood. I teach painting and drawing regularly to small groups and one-to-one. I love to give people confidence to explore different mediums as well as their own creativity.