Stephanie Anne Johnson facts for kids

Stephanie Anne Johnson (born in 1952) is an American artist who creates art using many different materials. A lot of her art is made for specific outdoor places, often as large art installations. She also creates performance art.

Growing Up and Learning

Stephanie Anne Johnson was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1952. Her mom, Virginia E. Johnson, was a teacher and social worker. She also worked with the American Negro Theater in Harlem. Stephanie's dad, Dr. Lawrence J. Johnson, was a child psychologist in the Bronx.

College and Early Career

Stephanie went to Emerson College and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre in 1974. While there, she took a class in lighting design. This class helped her get her first jobs after college, working as a lighting designer for plays and shows. This became a big part of her career for 40 years!

Her experience with lighting design later inspired her to create visual art. In the early 1990s, she decided to study art even more. She earned her Master of Arts degree from San Francisco State University in 1994. Then, in 1999, she received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She also earned a Doctorate degree in 2013 from Union Institute & University, focusing on public policy.

Stephanie Johnson also performs a special solo show called “Every Twenty One Days: Cancer, Yoga, and Me.” This show explores her personal journey with health.

Since 1995, Stephanie Johnson has been a professor at California State University, Monterey Bay. She teaches in the Visual and Public Art Department.

Her Amazing Art

Stephanie Johnson is well-known for her public art installations and performance art. Her artwork often explores important topics like family history, different cultures, and how people interact. She looks at themes such as the history of enslaved Africans, immigration, fairness for all genders, and understanding between different races.

Light in Her Art

Stephanie often uses light in her sculptures and installations. She uses light to create special images, show hidden meanings, and make people feel different emotions. This is where her skills as a professional lighting designer really shine in her artwork!

Stephanie Johnson has had two art shows just for her work in San Francisco. Her art has been shown in many places, both locally and across the country. One notable exhibition was “Bearing Witness” at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Awards and Recognitions

Stephanie Johnson has received many awards and honors for her work.

• In 1982, she received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
• In 1995, she spent 11 months as an artist-in-residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts.
• She has also received "Lighting Artists in Dance" grants.
• She has been nominated for awards like "Excellence in Lighting Design" by Theatre Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay Area Critic’s Circle, and Broadway Theatre West.