A TEACHER who was struggling to leave the house during lockdown found a creative way to regain a sense of purpose during the coronavirus crisis.

Amy Johnson said she got “stuck in a rut” after lockdown measures to stay at home were introduced.

The 34-year-old, who lives in Hanover, said: “I wasn’t leaving the house and had got into a situation where I just didn’t leave because I didn’t have a purpose.

“I really felt like I needed a reason to go out, so I went for a walk and saw a bright yellow door. I thought, I’m not going to go home until I’ve found another yellow door. It sounds silly but it gave me a small purpose.

“The main thing is I felt so much better for doing it and it really supported my mental and physical health.”

The Argus:

Amy began to take photos of doors and made colour-coordinated collages using an app.

She said: “I shared the photos with friends on social media and they really liked them way more than I thought anyone would.

“It brought the community together as lots of people were getting involved with which colours should be next. I think it’s an endless project.”

Amy, who is relatively new to Brighton, said the doors project also helped her get to know the city, as she walked all over to find doors in particular colours.

She said: “It’s been really helpful for me to learn about the area and fall in love with it as it’s so beautiful and colourful.

“It’s been really enjoyable to see side streets I would not normally go down.

“The longest walk for me was when I did purple doors, and that took three and a half hours, walking around the centre of Brighton.”

After her door photos were well received on community Facebook groups, Amy was asked to start printing cards.

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She is now selling them online and intends to donate some proceeds to Brighton charities.

Amy said: “Obviously homelessness is a big problem and the project got me thinking about how a lot of people don’t have their own door, and also about what’s going on behind closed doors.

"It’s only been a week and a half and I’ve already sold 80 cards, so I plan to give some money to the Rise domestic abuse charity and to Sussex Homeless Support.”

Amy has also had requests from people to join her on her walks, and from homeowners who recognised their doors in her artwork.

She said: “There’s something really nice about the connection of it all, and really nice for me as a new person in Brighton.”

To see Amy’s photos, go to her Instagram page or visit her Etsy shop to buy prints.