Kerry G. Johnson facts for kids

Kerry G. Johnson is a talented African-American artist. He is known for many things. He is a cartoonist, a graphic designer, and an art director. He also draws caricatures and illustrates children's books. Kerry G. Johnson is especially good at drawing caricatures. But he has also created many other types of art. This includes cartoons, illustrations, and news graphics. He has worked on maps and information graphics for newspapers.

Early Life and Education

Kerry G. Johnson was born in Nashville, Tennessee. His birthday is September 30, 1966. He went to Hillsboro Comprehensive High School. Later, he studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design. He also attended Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Today, he lives in Columbia, Maryland. He lives there with his wife, Tawanda W. Johnson. She works in public relations. They also have a daughter and a son.

Kerry G. Johnson's Art Career

Kerry G. Johnson has had a busy and creative career. He has worked on many interesting projects.

Illustrating for Science

In 2005, he drew pictures for a coloring book. This book was for the American Physical Society. It taught about famous physicists. These are scientists who study physics. In the same year, he designed the official logo for the American Physical Society.

Creating Webcomics

In May 2008, he launched his own webcomic. It is called Harambee Hills. A webcomic is a comic strip published online. Harambee Hills shows the daily life of Gerard. It also features his modern African-American family. His co-workers and funny neighbors are in it too. They live in Harambee Hills, a made-up town. It is a suburb near Washington, D.C. The characters often talk about pop culture. They also discuss entertainment, sports, and the news.

Designing the Laser Superhero: SPECTRA

Kerry G. Johnson helped create a science-based superhero. This hero is named SPECTRA. SPECTRA is a teen superhero. She is also the mascot for Laserfest 2010. Laserfest was a year-long party. It celebrated the 50th birthday of the laser. In 2011, Johnson worked with writer Rebecca Thompson. They published their third comic book together. It was called Spectra, The Original Laserfest Superhero. You can find it on the PhysicsCentral.com website.

Illustrating Children's Books

In 2012, he worked with author Nicolle Brazil. He drew the pictures for her book. The book is titled You Can't Move an Elephant in One Day.

Interviewed by Al Jazeera America

In August 2018, he was interviewed by Al Jazeera America. They talked about the 50th birthday of the Peanuts comic strip. Kerry G. Johnson and Franklin talked about African-American cartoonists today. Franklin is a character from the Peanuts comic strip.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Caricature

In April 2022, Kerry G. Johnson created a special drawing. It was a digital caricature of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. This drawing honored her historic confirmation. She became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. This popular caricature was shared widely online. Kerry G. Johnson owns the copyright to this artwork.

Where His Art Has Appeared

Kerry G. Johnson's cartoons and illustrations have been in many newspapers. His information graphics have also been published.

• The Nashville Banner (This newspaper is no longer printed)
• Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
• North Hills News Record (Warrendale, PA)
• Valley News Dispatch (Tarentum, PA)
• New Pittsburgh Courier
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• Greensburg Tribune-Review
• The Baltimore Sun
• The Baltimore Examiner
• The Los Angeles Times
• Chicago Tribune
• N.Y. Newsday
• APS News American Physical Society
• The Muskegon Tribune (Michigan)

His work has also appeared in magazines and websites. It has been featured in national media. This includes 60 Minutes, USA Today, and Gannett News Service.

Awards and Honors

Kerry G. Johnson has won more than 20 awards. These awards are for his graphic design and illustration. He has also been recognized for his community service.

• 2023: Career Profile: PrintTalk Blog - Adaptive Art: Kerry G. Johnson’s World of Graphic Design
• 2023: Alpha Man of Merit | Howard County (Maryland) Chapter
• 2012: Graphic Design Magazine (GD USA) Award for InHouse Design
• 2010: Glyph Comics Awards nomination. This was in the Rising Star category. The award is given by the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC).
• 2008: First place in the National Arts Program for Illustration.
• 2002, 2001, 1996: First place in the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s Golden Quill Award for News Illustration.
• 2002: Society for News Design Award of Excellence for Photo illustration.
• 2001: He was a judge for Pittsburgh’s 2001 ARTWorks Competition.
• 2001, 1998, 1994, 1993: First place in the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation’s Robert L. Vann Award for Feature Illustration.
• 2000: Second place in the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Heritage Award for Editorial Cartooning.
• 1996: First place in the National Association of Black Journalists NABJ Award for Art and Design.
• 1994: First place in the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association’s Award for Graphic Illustration.

He is a member of several important groups. These include Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ) fraternity. He is also part of the National Cartoonists Society (NCS). Other groups are the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). He is also a member of the National Caricaturist Network and American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

Books Illustrated by Kerry G. Johnson

Kerry G. Johnson has illustrated many books. Most of these are children's books.

• Is He Still There? by Monet Clements (2020)
• I Am Love: A Book About The Meaning of Love by Alero Afejuku (2020)
• Little Brown Baby Nursery Rhymes (2020)
• Believing In Myself! by Erica Pullen (2018)
• Princess Tyler Meets the Big Storytelling Fsiry (2015)
• You Can't Move an Elephant in One Day (2012)
• Soap & Bubbles (2012)
• PhysicsQuest 2008: Nikola Tesla and the Electric Fair (2008)
• SPECTRA #1: The American Physical Society introduces, SPECTRA (2009)
• SPECTRA #2: SPECTRA'S Power (2010)
• SPECTRA #3: SPECTRA'S Force (2011)
• SPECTRA #4: SPECTRA Heats Up! (2012)
• SPECTRA #5: SPECTRA Turbulent Times (2013)
• SPECTRA #6: SPECTRA'S Quantum Leap [1]" (2014)
• Color Me Physics Coloring Book, First Edition (2007)