Ramona Alena Johnson

 

Once a little girl went to school.
She was quite a little girl.
And it was quite a big school.
But when the little girl
Found that she could go to her room
By walking right in from the door outside,
She was happy.
And the school did not seem
Quite so big anymore.

One morning,
When the little girl had been in school awhile,
The teacher said,
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little girl.
She liked to make pictures.
She could make all kinds.
Lions and tigers,
Chickens and cows,
Trains and boats.
And she took out her box of crayons
And began to draw.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin."
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make flowers."
"Good!" thought the little girl.
She liked to make flowers.
And she began to make beautiful ones
With her pink and orange and blue crayons.
But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And it was red with a green stem.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little girl looked at the teacher's flower.
Then she looked at her own flower.
She liked her flower better than the teacher's
But she did not say this.
She just turned her paper over
And made a flower like the teacher's.
It was red with a green stem.

On another day,
When the little girl had opened
The door from the outside all by herself
The teacher said,
"Today we are going to make something in clay."
"Good!" thought the little girl.
She liked clay.
She could make all kinds of things with clay.
Snakes and snow creatures,
Elephants and mice,
Cars and trucks.
And she began to pull and pinch her ball of clay.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make a dish."
"Good!", thought the girl.
She liked to make dishes.
And she began to make some
That were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"And I will show everyone how to make
One deep dish."
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little girl looked at the teacher's dish.
Then she looked at her own.
She liked hers better than the teacher's
But she did not say this.
She just rolled her clay into a big ball again
And made a dish like the teacher's.
It was a deep dish.
And pretty soon
The little girl learned to wait and the watch
And to make things look just like the teacher's.
Pretty soon
She didn't make things of her own anymore.

Then it happened
That the little girl and her family
Moved to another house in another city.
And the little girl
Had to go to another school.
This school was even bigger than the other
And there was no door from the outside
Into her room.
She had to go up some big steps
And walk down a long hall
To get to her room.

And the very first day she was there
The teacher said,
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little girl.
And she waited for the teacher
To tell her what to do.

But the teacher didn't say anything.
She just walked around the room.
When she came to the little girl
She said, "Don't you want to make a picture?"
"Yes," said the little girl,
"What are we going to make?"
"I don't know until you make it." said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little girl.
"Why, any way you like." said the teacher.
"And any color?" asked the little girl.
"Any color." said the teacher.
"If everyone made the same picture,
And used the came colors,
How would I know who made what,
And which was which?"
"I don't know." said the little girl.
And she began to make a red flower with a green stem.

 

~~~

Mona, you are the difference..the circle inside the square,
 the vibrant lines and elegant designs in between,

the colors outside the lines...

I was exactly like that little girl...

until I met you.

You opened my eyes and accepted my style,

You guided me and loved my art.

My sketchbook is full of warmth;

There are no words to describe..

You were that brilliant shooting star,

Determined to leave her beauty and mark,

Forever your legacy will live in us all.

Thank you..for touching my life with your presence.

~~~

 

P.S – Aim..she talked kindly about you to me, of your wonderful watercolors and style.. I went to her memorial and I saw a picture of you holding up your beautiful painting. She was going to visit you a few years ago, except Thailand was in bad shape.

When I knew Mona best, she was Ms. Thoreson and she was my high school art teacher. 

When I started 9th grade, I was anticipating working with the art teacher before her, Dick Simandl.  Well, instead of Mr. Simandl that fall, it was some crazy woman who'd painted ZZ Top's hot rod, the Eliminator on the art room wall, collected hubcaps, and wore bell-bottom jeans with flames on the legs.

And she was a LOT of fun (even for those of us who took art classes and yet really hadn't much artistic talent).

Thank you, Mona, for giving me a place to sketch out ideas, play in the clay vats, and glaze things to my heart's content.  Thank you for your patience with me, and for your warmth and humor.

- Cara

Hey Mona,

Soon after I got home last night from your “celebration” I was sitting at the kitchen table thinking of you and your family and how much I miss you.  All of a sudden from our cabin (garage) where we hang out, the stereo started playing.  The doors were shut and the lights turned off.  The stereo had never done that before.  When we lived together in Chaska we always had music playing, usually Tina, so I knew instantly it was your way of letting me know we will always be together in heart and soul.  I love you Mona!

Dear Mona,

I was a past student of Ms.Thoresen.  You were my favorite teacher! you taught me so many things...  I always thought you had a special talent. You were a Great teacher and Friend. You ment alot to me and alot of other students!!!

I wish I would have been a better student and not gave you such a hard time! I really miss your smile and the crazzy things you always did. You will alway be in my heart!!!  ~I love you Mr.Thoresen~

                        Love Troi Hanna 

Mona was full of fun. She loved her flower gardens and "bed"--literally a headboard and footboard with flowers planted in a crazy quilt between them. We talked flowers and gardens and love and life as we walked for exercise over our noon hours at the high school. She loved the fantasy of dragons and enchantresses, castles and wizards, gnomes and elves. She made us "little people" of clay, painted with vibrant colors, to sit on our desks and brighten our work days. She had a sense for what makes life delightful. Her hats, fringed leather jackets, Halloween costumes, hot cars and endless projects made to give away and bring pleasure to someone else made Mona unique. I am so glad to have known her. Barbara Kernan English/French Elk Mound High School University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

My candle held too long a message, so I will put it on here;

"We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and surely you will meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

May God bless you and keep you-until then."

-"A Vision For You"

Ramona, you are on that road- the broken-hearted people left behind are a testimonial to your life!  My condolences to all.

Mona was a person that changed my life.  The first time I met her I was
in seventh grade, and she was my art teacher.  I didn't get close to
her until my freshman year in high school. Within the first couple months I
found out how wonderful she was, and how an odd duck like me could feel
comfortable and safe in her classes. 

April of my freshman year Mona took us to Europe on an art trip. Being
the only freshman with mostly juniors and seniors, I was scared. I knew
them, but wasn't close to any of the other kids that were going. I
remember talking to Mona about it.  She told me it would be life
changing, and she would make sure I always had a friend along. She was
right.  It did change my life, and she made sure I never felt alone.
During my high school years I did see her as a friend.

We both had a love for Walt Disney and his work.  She taught me more
than art; she taught me about the person I wanted to be.  I was never
the best artist, but it was something I loved.  She could draw better
than anyone I had met.  She had a personality that didn't judge the odd
duck but taught you to use it in your work. 

I talked to her about everything during High School. She never judged me by anything more than the effort I put into my work. She worked to make you greater then you thought you were, to give you a stepping stone into what you could
be.  The night of my high school graduation, she came up to me and gave
me a clay dragon she had made.  On its belly was an inscription: "The
very time I thought I was lost, my dungeon shook and my chains fell
off." I still have the dragon and treasure it.

I didn't go into art after high school. I became an ultrasound
technician. I use what she taught me in my job daily.  She taught me to
see the little differences in shades of gray, and that's what
ultrasound is all about.

She was my teacher, my friend, and one of the few people
that taught me that being yourself was okay. She was a life changing
person.  She changed the life of many. She had an old soul
and will be missed. She made a difference, and I will always love her.
Stacie

My most hearfelt prayers to the Johnson family.  Everytime I see a breathtaking picture in the clouds I know it is Mona, paint brush in hand, continuing to spread beauty.

I was an exchange student to Elkmound from Thailand.

And you were the only person that noticed my unhappiness.

I always waited for the time to work in your class.

The last semester i joined 4 of your classes.

And it was always a happy time for a lonely student like me

to talk with a wonderful woman who could read through my black eyes.

You gave me brushes and water-color.

We did talk via my paintings.

 

You made me know Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Vangogh and more.

I didn't care for grade, what i want was to get some compliement from you when you checked my works.

 

You invited me to your house, we cooked,we watched movies, we biked, we talked. You told me "don't hurt yourself."

 

It's sad to realize that we didn't have time to spend together anymore.

I remembered when i had to come back home after 1 year had ended.

We hug and we cried. I told you that i'd come back to visit you.

 

"You promised?" , you asked me back.

 

I said yes...and 6 years has passed.

You're no longer there,

I haven't made the promised,

I am so sorry.

 

 

You are the most wonderful woman,

who had a magical wand to change student's lives.

And i'm glad that at least..in this life i once met you.

 

You taught me the word "Giggle"

Because when i was with you, i always laugh.

 

 

I told you that no matter what happens i won't feel regret,

because i've already met you.

 

But i can't stop crying when realise that .. you are away now

 

 

 

 

Everytime i paint, i always seeing your face through those water-colors,

And it'll always be like this.

 

I promise.