about

mariah anne johnson is a native of little rock, arkansas. she began studying art as a child at the Arkansas Arts Center and loved it so much that she went on to earn an MFA. she currently lives and works in washington, DC, with michael, walker percy, and pete, but she will always call little rock home.

Education

  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Master of Fine Arts in Painting, 2006
  • Rice University; Houston, Texas
    Bachelor of Arts in English and Studio Art, 2001

Solo Exhibitions

  • The Fruited Plain; Phantom Galleries LA, Long Beach Project Space; Long Beach, California; 2009
  • We Are All Well and Fine; LittleBird Gallery; Los Angeles, California; 2008
  • How Lovely on the Mountain; The LAB; San Francisco, California; 2008
  • How to Fold a Fitted Sheet; Lawndale Art Center; Houston, Texas; 2006
  • Memory Quilts; Arts Center of the Ozarks; Springdale, Arkansas; 2002

Selected Group Exhibitions

2009

  • Kimono My House; Artist Curated Projects; Los Angeles, California; curator: Anna Sew Hoy
  • LACE Benefit Art Auction; Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions; Anna Sew Hoy curated selection
  • This...Is Your..., This...Is My...; University of Texas at San Antonio Satellite Space; curator: Jaime Salvador Castillo

2008

  • Here & Now; Transformer Gallery; Washington, DC
  • Stratification; Brand Art & Music Library; Glendale, California

2007

  • Migration Study; Phantom Galleries LA; Los Angeles, California; curators: Gita Meh & Shadi Harouni
  • Two-Person Show with Lola Scarpitta; Phantom Galleries LA at 2926 Rowena; Los Angeles, California
  • Los Angeles Magazine Design Lofts 2007, with Aleks Instanbullu Architects; Biscuit Company Lofts, Downtown Los Angeles

2006

  • Women Artists in Arkansas, An Overview from the Permanent Collection; Historic Museum of Arkansas; Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Monster; iSpace Gallery; Chicago, Illinois; curator: Luke Batten
  • Closeknit: History, Textile, and Place; Coral Street Arts House; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; curators: J. Meredith Warner and Carrie Cook
  • MFA Exhibition; Krannert Art Museum; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Good Housekeeping; two-person show with Fiona Kinsella; Ruby Green Contemporary Art Center; Nashville, Tennessee

2005

  • Imaginary Friends; Link Gallery; Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 48th Annual Delta Exhibition; Arkansas Arts Center; Little Rock, Arkansas; Juror: Roger Shimomura
  • Softer Side; temporary space; Urbana, Illinois; curator:
    Daniel Ma

2004

  • 47th Annual Delta Exhibition; Arkansas Arts Center; Little Rock, Arkansas; Juror: Katherine Degn
  • Mariah Johnson and Terry Bean; Historic Arkansas Museum; Little Rock, Arkansas

2003

  • Small Works on Paper; sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council; Juror: Ralph Slatton

2002

  • Nine Artists Circumpedigate the Figure; Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church Attic Gallery; Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Small Works on Paper; sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council; Juror: Tony Hepburn

2001

  • On the Verge; senior exhibition; Rice University Art Gallery; Houston, Texas
  • Angles and Attitudes: An Exploration of Women in Art; sponsored by The Women's Resource Center; Rice Memorial Center; Houston, Texas

Honors

2009

  • Artist Residency; CentralTrak: The UT Dallas Artists Residency; Dallas, Texas
  • Artists’ Resource for Completion Grant; Durfee Foundation; Santa Monica, California

2008

  • Artists’ Resource for Completion Grant; Durfee Foundation; Santa Monica, California
  • Featured Artist, For Families Program; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

2004-6

  • Teaching Assistantship; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Brodie Materials Grant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2003

  • Brodie Fellowship; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 13th Annual Arkansas College Art History Symposium; paper given: “The Virtuous Woman as Depicted in The Hours of Catherine of Cleves”; Hendrix College, Conway

2001

  • Christine Croneis Sayres Memorial Award for Studio Art; Rice University

Selected Bibliography

  • Baker, Kenneth. "Heeks changes technique to keep work alive." San Francisco Chronicle. 1 August 2008.
  • Gopnik, Blake. "Color and Meaning Knit Together in an Abstract Yarn." Washington Post. 7 June, 2008.
  • Hamilton, Jeanne. “Good Housekeeping.” Number: An Independent Arts Journal. Spring/summer 2006.
  • Klaasmeyer, Kelley. “Capsule Reviews: Mariah Anne Johnson, How to Fold a Fitted Sheet.” Houston Press. 13 April, 2006.
  • Maddox, David. “Comforts of Home.” Nashville Scene. 23 February, 2006.
  • Castleman, Toccara. “Arts + Entertainment: The Softer Side.” Weekly Buzz. 10 March-16 March, 2005.
  • Fotos, Adam. “That’s Drawing: talking about Imaginary Friends.” Daily Illini. 26 September, 2005.
  • Peacock, Leslie Newell. "The Delta Reconsidered." Arkansas Times. 10 June, 2004.
  • Michael, Holly. “Family Collage.” Northwest Arkansas Times. 25 October, 2002.

Public Collections

  • Historic Arkansas Museum, Little Rock
  • Clinton Foundation, Little Rock