 Barbara
Johnson
Hello, I am Barbara Johnson, Chairman of the Art,
Music, and Philosophy Department at Prince George’s Community College
located on the Largo campus. I have taught all of the foundation courses,
studio and lecture and continue to teach, along with performing the administrative
duties necessary to keep the department fluid.
I have a Master of Fine Arts degree from Catholic University of America,
majoring in painting and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland
with a concentration in studio art, with a minor in art history. I continue to paint and draw in my private
studio located in a warehouse in Washington,
D.C. I have been there for
24 years, working among
a community of artists, 12 in all.
Teaching art and producing artwork make my life special. I did not originally intend to teach, I
wanted only to create art, so I came to teaching through the back-door – but
what a joy. Passing my passion onto
others, allowing students to participate in the exploration of their own vision
is very satisfying. And, having the
opportunity to share my ideas about the teaching environment, as I have done as
chairman, builds another level of creative thinking to my life’s work. Many students believe one is born creative
and that may be true. I believe everyone
has some area of creativity within their soul, and those of us who are lucky
enough to find it, live fulfilled lives.
But, it does not come without seeking and hard work. As an educator, I
present the hard work of
learning the skills necessary for the student to create visually. As an artist, I stretch my vision beyond my
conscious, intentional logic, through the Alice
in Wonderland hole, into the realm of the unconscious, intuitive logic that
allows me to experience the wonder of the unknown in a tangible form. I know this is a bit heavy but the way I feel
nonetheless. I love my work, all phases
of it. |