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With the highlight of competing in the 1996 Olympics for Canada, Cynthia Johnston’s basketball career spanned 20 years in both Europe and Canada,

with 14 years as part of the National Team program beginning at the age of 16. The latter part of her sport’s career overlapped with the early years of raising her children in Belgium. Somewhere in there, she also ran a bed and breakfast in Brugge with her husband. It is since she accidently won her first camera at the age of 19 that her passion for photography began, existing as a constant thread throughout these many and varied phases of her life thus far.
 

Following two years of commuting from Quebec City to Toronto to attain her MFA in Documentary Media at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2019, Cynthia has returned to residing full time in Quebec City with her husband, 5 children, 2 dogs, 4 cats and 3 horses.

As a mother of five, Cince Johnston's photography practice includes exploring intimate family narratives alongside street documentary and activist-based storytelling for change. From an ecological standpoint, Johnston also attempts to incorporate environmentally conscious elements to her work through sustainable printing practices—focussing on using recycled paper and recycled ink.  Most recently, she can be found hand binding her new book late into the night.

Education
2019—MFA Documentary Media, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada 
1999—Diploma Photojournalism, SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology), Calgary, AB, Canada
1991—BA History and Art History, Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, QC, Canada


RESIDENCIES
2023/24—VU Photo Eco-Sensible Residency, Quebec City, QC, Canada
2022—Penumbra Foundation Risograph Print and Publication Residency, New York, NY, US


FELLOWSHIP
2021—Wendy Snyder MacNeil Research Fellowship, Image Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Awards
2024—Urbanautica Institute Awards, category: Memories and Traditions for project "a butterfly kiss"
2024—22nd Julia Margaret Cameron Non Professional Woman Photographer, winner, category: series children
2024—22nd Julia Margaret Cameron Non Professional Woman Photographer, runner-up, category: series bxw
2021—17th Julia Margaret Cameron Non Professional Woman Photographer, runner-up, category: series
2021—Winner, Portrait Non Professional Series
2021—Winner, Children Non Professional Series


GRants
2021-24—Freddy and Ceydie project, Canada Council for the Arts, Explore and Create—Concept to Realization

Handmade Books
2024—a butterfly kiss--risograph printed, edition 10 books, hand bound
2022—this place i call home whispers fragments of secrets to me--risograph printed, edition 80 books, hand bound

CATALOGUE - TRAVELLING exhibition
2022—Freddy and Ceydie, book and exhibition in one, printed using recycled ink on old stock 30% recycled paper, offset Lithograph printing, 200 copies

Exhibitions (click here or view "exhibitions" on home page)  

OTHEr
2023—Sustainable Photobook Publishing network Freddy and Ceydie project case study feature (Nov.16)
2019—Santa Fe Juried Portfolio Review for Freddy and Ceydie project

SCREENINGS (click here and scroll to the bottom of the page)

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