Ann Johnson Print Austin Artist Talk: It's The Not Knowing That Burns My Sole: Experimental Printmaking

Join us in welcoming Houston based artist Ann Johnson to Women & Their Work as part of the city wide celebration of PrintAustin! Johnson will discuss her experimental printmaking process that includes intaglio on feathers and leaves, iron relief prints, and incorporating found objects and family photos into her prints. Her work often addresses African American genealogy, family folklore and legacy. Her delicate sensitivity to texture and combined elements creates moments that feel intimate while simultaneously addressing broad social issues. Johnson’s pop up print and mixed media show will provoke and entice. Questions from the audience are welcomed & admission is free. http://www.womenandtheirwork.org/upcoming_exhibitions.html?itemid=1288&level=2 http://www.solesisterart.com/index.php#.VLgmqifiPKZ PrintAustin is a citywide celebration of printmaking from January 15 to February 15, 2014. This print extravaganza is a month-long event celebrating the art of original printmaking, educating the public about the traditions of printmaking as well as showcasing the innovations of the contemporary approach. PrintAustin's mission is to share enthusiasm for printmaking by helping galleries curate, exhibit, and promote works on paper, and to engage a wider audience through in-house artist talks, signings, panels, printmaking demonstrations, and print focused art happenings. http://printaustin.org/ Ann 'Sole Sister' Johnson is an artist born in London, England and raised in Cheyenne, WY. Johnson currently teaches at Prairie View A&M University. Primarily a mixed media artist, Johnson’s passion for exploring issues particularly in the Black community has led her to create a series of works that are evocative and engaging. The Hoop Dreamin Collection is a series of decorative basketball goals that explore the social issue of a Hoop Dream. It Is The Not Knowing That Burns My Soul is an investigation of exploratory mixed media works that examine the “Black Indian". The latter was included in an exhibition and catalog for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian titled: Indivisible. She has been invited to teach at Tougaloo Art Colony in Jackson, MS in 2009, 2011 and 2013. In 2010 she received the Teaching Excellence Award at Prairie View A&M University, and was awarded art teacher of the year in the School of Architecture. In 2011 she received the distinguished Presidents Faculty Of The Year award. Johnson's work has been exhibited nationally in solo, group and juried exhibitions. She was a prize winner in Houston’s “The Big Show” in 2004, and was the mixed media winner in the Carroll Harris Simms National Black Art Competition in 2007. She has exhibited at The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX, The Museum of Printing History, Houston, TX, African American Museum of Life and Culture, Dallas, TX, The National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture, Montgomery, AL, The Apex Museum in Atlanta, GA, and the California African American Art Museum in Los Angeles, CA. She has published several articles for School Arts magazine (Davis), and has written and designed a number of books: I’ll Fly Away (Solefolio Press), B?s(Solefolio Press), It is the not knowing that burns my sole (blurb), Paper & Ink (blurb), Solefolio (blurb), Roux (Solefolio Press) Craft$ For The No Budget Art Teacher (Solefolio Press), 5 Views From The Hill (Solefolio Press/blurb) and STIR (Solefolio Press). Ann 'Sole Sister' Johnson aspires to leave a legacy of challenging and thought provoking work that will entice the viewer and inspire younger artists. Johnson is represented in Texas by the Hooks Epstein Galleries, Houston, TX.