Enamor, Entice, EnchantFocus by Lydia Johnson June 21, 2022

Enamor, Entice, Enchant
Focus by Lydia Johnson

Biography
Wanting to reconcile the relationship between wheel-thrown pots and paper collaging, Lydia Johnson began making functional pots out of double-sided, patterned clay slabs. Johnson says the pattern and color in her work “are the essence of the thing; an indispensable quality to the object’s existence and power.” The patterns she develops derive from a conglomerate of historical references, visual observation, and active imagination. Johnson describes her all-over pattern as creating an “engaging physical and visual illusion between user and object.” In addition to her distinct use of color and pattern, Johnson’s work fluctuates between an illusion of lightweight, disposable material and precious china. In 2011, Johnson received her BA from Messiah College, Grantham, Pennsylvania, and in 2016, she received her MFA from Alfred University in Alfred, New York. Lydia Johnson is currently working in her studio in Manchester, Connecticut, and will be featured in the upcoming Architectural Digest Show in New York City.