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Originally from Mexico City, via California, and South Carolina, Paulina Johnson has been immersed in the fields of art and graphic design for over 20 years. She received a joint BFA from the Academy of Art University and the University of San Francisco in 1999. In 2017, she earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Paulina has been an ongoing educator and is currently an exhibiting partner at Pine Moon Fine Art in Steamboat Springs, CO. She lives and works in beautiful Steamboat where she enjoys the mountains with her husband, two growing boys and their pup Murray.
We had a delightful conversation about Johnson started in graphic design and then moved into creating fine art in paper. I did my own 100 Day Project back in 2013 and was delighted to learn that Johnson has done one too. Short Stories was created during the depths of the pandemic. This project, turned solo exhibition, looked at every-day objects as prompts for personal life stories. By sharing and connecting through these stories, Johnson hoped to spark a sense of empathy and connection among the viewers in a time of uncertainty and isolation.
17 / Camper
We talked about the papers, the process and routines Johnson has developed for creating her work, often depicting Colorado landscapes.
Indian Meadows // 19.5″ x 19″
Recently, Johnson has added floral elements to her signature on edge lines.
Drift With the Wind // 22″ x 33″
You can find out more about Paulina Johnson on her website and you can also find her on instagram.
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Paulina Johnson’s recommendations:
She sources paper from:
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LineCo is her favorite glue and this is her favorite Glue Bottle
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This Paper Weight Guide has been super helpful over the years in understanding paper weight.
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Music featuring excerpts of Makin’ Paper folk song by Peter Thomas. Listen to the full song and find out about other paper and book arts folk songs.
Gary A. Hanson did the sound editing for this episode. He practices and refines his skills in audio production while making his own podcast I’ll Have a Beer and Talk, a show about tech news, culture, weird animal stories and of course, beer. Gary is also the Deckle in Pulp & Deckle, a Portland-based community hand papermaking studio.
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