ANN 'SOLE SISTER' JOHNSON's Page

BIO
Ann ‘Sole Sister’ Johnson is an artist who paints portraits with her feet. Yes her feet!!!!! Born in London, England and raised in Cheyenne, WY, Ann is a graduate of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, (where she now teaches) majoring in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Art. Sole (as she’s called by friends) has also received a Master’s of Arts degree in Humanities from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, as well as an MFA in printmaking from The Academy of Art University.
Primarily a mixed media artist, Johnson’s passion for exploring issues particularly in the Black community has led her to create series’ of works that are evocative and engaging. such as: The Hoop Dreamin Collection: a series of decorative basketball goals that explores the social issue of a Hoop Dream, and It Is The Not Knowing That Burns My Soul, an investigation of exploratory mixed media works that examine the “Black Indian “I grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming which holds one of the largest rodeo events in the country each summer. When I was a kid I treasured going to the powwow’s held by the Lakota Plains Nation. The adornment of the powwow costumes totally fascinated me. I now realize the impact the powwows have had on my work through the years. The beading, the jewelry, the feathers, and cowrie shells are very prominent features in my work as an artist.” Ann’s work has been exhibited nationally in solo, group and juried exhibitions. Ann ‘Sole Sister’ Johnson aspires to leave a legacy of challenging and thought provoking work that will entice the viewer and inspire younger artists.

Artist Statement
I grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming which holds one of the largest rodeo events in the country each summer. When I was a kid I treasured going to the powwow’s held by the Lakota Plains Nation. I loved watching the women’s hide dresses sway as they danced gracefully. The adornment of the powwow costumes totally fascinated me. I now realize the impact the powwows have had on my work through the years. The beading, the jewelry, the feathers, and cowrie shells are very prominent features in my work as an artist. I primarily work as a mixed media artist. My passion for exploring issues particularly in the Black community has led me to create series of works that are evocative and engaging. I aspire to leave a legacy of challenging and thought provoking work that will entice the viewer and inspire younger artists.

CURRENT SERIES
It is the not knowing that burns my soul: The Odyssey of Miss Emma Jean. The Odyssey of Miss Emma Jean is an artistic exploration of the life of my paternal Great Grandmother Emma Jean Henderson Coleman Hurt Mathis. This body of work explores the identity of a bi-racial Native American woman, who in her lifetime, marries three African American men, and lives in the Jim Crow state of Alabama. The works I am creating are titled based on family legends, myths and folktales passed on throughout the family. I print on feathers to acknowledge my Native American ancestry and the “Black Indian”. By printing various family members on feathers, I am unifying African, Native and American culture. The ghostly images emerging from the feathers represent elements of a hidden past. These works examine what I know about Emma Jean and her descendants, and emphasizes what I do not know. It is the not knowing that has triggered my creativity. It is the not knowing that burns my soul. This is the story of Miss Emma Jean. This is the story of my identity.
Complete resume posted on www.solesisterart.com solesister@hotmail.com