Born in Berkeley, California on May 12, 1920. Ynez Johnston attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her MFA in 1946. From 1954 -1956 Johnston was an etching instructor at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and at the University of Judaism in 1967. Throughout the late 60s and early 70s Johnston was a painting instructor at California State University, Los Angeles and from 1978 - 1981 was an instructor at the Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles. Johnston was also an artist in residence at Fullerton College in 1982.