Doug Johnston's work oscillates between art and design, primarily utilizing a process of coiling and machine-stitching cordage based on ancient vessel-building techniques. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, he has lived in Brooklyn, NY since 2007, often collaborating with his wife, artist and designer Tomoe Matsuoka.
"Since 2010 I have been focused on a process of coiling and stitching rope using industrial sewing machines, with which I have produced a wide range of functional and sculptural objects. The work utilizes a long history of human technologies such as cordage, coiled vessels, bags and basketry, masonry construction, sewing machines, and 3d printing. With these, I have worked to build a formal vocabulary and studio practice that engages my varied interests in architecture, spatial and landscape formation, commerce, and fundamental human technologies. My work often sits at the intersection of art, design and craft, taking the position that no made object is exclusively aesthetic or utilitarian. Each piece is a drawing, a body, a space, and an attempt to grasp a moment in geologic time as we enter the anthropocene."
solo exhibitions and residencies
2022 - Visiting Artist (with Tomoe Matsuoka), Pilchuck Glass School, Washington, USA
2018 - Visiting Designer Fellowship, UrbanGlass, Brooklyn, NY
2017 - Artist in Residence, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE
2016 - Artist in Residence, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
2015 - what it is, Patrick Parrish Gallery, New York NY
2014 - Brooklyn Nets, Exhibit by Aberson, Tulsa, OK
2013 - Light Sculptures, Mondo Cane, New York, NY
selected group exhibitions and events
2022
Unusual Suspects, panel discussion, National Basketry Organization’s “Virtually Woven”
Drawings You’ve Never Seen, Egg Collective, New York, NY
Festival of Lights, Kishka Gallery, White River Junction, VT
2021
Objects: USA 2020, R & Company, New York, NY
The Broom Show, Cooler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Vessel invitational: Revisioning the receptacle, The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE
Traditional Techniques – Contemporary Modes, C. Gallery, Melbourne, AUS
2020
Under/Over, Marta, Los Angeles, CA
Essential Goods Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2019
More Than A Feeling, Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ
Home Futures, Ikea Museum, Sweden
Home is Everywhere, workshop lead at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Edge Walkers, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
2018
The Ashtray Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Mutants, Wentrcek Zebulon, Brooklyn, NY
URNS, Cooler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Working Relationship, North Seattle College Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
Home Futures, Design Museum, London, UK
2017
Artist Talk: PechaKucha 20x20: Some Trucs (with Tomoe Matsuoka), SuperDeluxe, Tokyo, Japan
The Paperweight Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Cranbrook: The New Domestic Landscape, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Gnomons, Non-Objectif Sud, Tulette, France
In Residence: Selections from the Open Studio Residency Programs, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Another Country, FiftyFifty, Kansas City, MO
2016
Interconnections: The Language of Basketry curated by Carol Eckert, Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NY
Some Trucs (with Tomoe Matsuoka), Bota Boutique, Kobe, Japan
Light: Fixtures and Sculpture LMak Gallery, NY, NY
The Lamp Show, 99cent Plus Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2015
Design/Miami with Patrick Parrish Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
Spatial Improvisational workshop instructor at Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Deer Isle, ME
Mural installation at BRIC cafe, Brooklyn, NY (collaboration with Tomoe Matsuoka and Michael Popp)
Sight Unseen Offsite at Collective Design Fair, NY, NY
Pretty Eyes, Electric Bills, Fordham University, NY, NY
Artist Talk: Practice makes Practice, Drury University S.E.A. Conference, Springfield, Mo
Artist Talk: Doug Johnston, Fordham University, NY, NY
2014
Drury | New York | San Francisco | Berlin, Drury University, Springfield, MO
Ethnobotany: An Artists’ Study of Plants, Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma, WA
Artist Talk: Making the 7H, Product Placement design talks, NY, NY
Collective 2 Design Fair, with Patrick Parrish Gallery, New York, NY
Das Haus Curated by Louise Campbell at the IMM Cologne, Germany
2013
Modern Craft, NoHo Design District / Merchants House Museum, New York, NY
LLIIGGHHTTSS, 7 Dunham Place, New York, NY
Sleight of Hand, Brian Morris Gallery, New York, NY
Cabinets of Curiosity, Mint, London, UK
Material Material, collaboration and artists' talk with Debbie Carlos, Little Paper Planes, San Francisco, CA
2012
Next Wave, MATTER, New York, NY
Partners and Spade, New York, NY
Product Porch, San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
A Spatial Surprise, Mint, London, UK
We're Revolting, Creatures of Comfort, Los Angeles, CA
Lecture: Physical Thought, Shieh Chen University Architecture and Fashion Departments, Taipei, Taiwan
Under 500, Mondo Cane, New York, NY
2011
Art of Space: Nests, lecture and public installation workshop, Springfield, MO
Performances with the Friendly Falcons, various locations, New York City
2008-2010
Musical Performance with Chris Doyle, Cafe Orwell, Brooklyn, NY
Musical Performance with Damezumari, Knitting Factory, Manhattan, NY
Mychrophobialactic: Adaptation Art, Philadelphia, PA
10-Penny hi-top: musical performance with The Friendly Falcons and Their Friend the Snake: Governor’s Island, NY
2006-2007
Graduate Degree Exhibition: Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Social Fabrication: Forum Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Orthodontics: 3 musical performances with Jeff Kurosaki and Tara
Pelletier, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Chirpin’ Hard: 6 musical performances with Jeff Kurosaki, Detroit, MI
Chairspray: PF Gallery, Clawson, MI
2002-2005
Block Party!: MLR exhibiton and musical performance, Tulsa, Ok
Atlatl/Damezumari Tour: musical performances, 10 locations in Eastern U.S.
Sound/Vision: Oklahoma City, OK
Dia de Los Muertos Fest: exhibiton and musical performances, Oklahoma
City, OK
Re:_design Gallery: Springfield, MO
FauxReal Gallery: Springfield, MO
Taunt: Mossa Center St. Louis, MO
education
2007
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Master of Architecture
2002
Drury University, Springfield, MO
Bachelor of Architecture (NAAB Accredited)
Bachelor of Arts: Studio Arts
"Since 2010 I have been focused on a process of coiling and stitching rope using industrial sewing machines, with which I have produced a wide range of functional and sculptural objects. The work utilizes a long history of human technologies such as cordage, coiled vessels, bags and basketry, masonry construction, sewing machines, and 3d printing. With these, I have worked to build a formal vocabulary and studio practice that engages my varied interests in architecture, spatial and landscape formation, commerce, and fundamental human technologies. My work often sits at the intersection of art, design and craft, taking the position that no made object is exclusively aesthetic or utilitarian. Each piece is a drawing, a body, a space, and an attempt to grasp a moment in geologic time as we enter the anthropocene."
solo exhibitions and residencies
2022 - Visiting Artist (with Tomoe Matsuoka), Pilchuck Glass School, Washington, USA
2018 - Visiting Designer Fellowship, UrbanGlass, Brooklyn, NY
2017 - Artist in Residence, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE
2016 - Artist in Residence, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
2015 - what it is, Patrick Parrish Gallery, New York NY
2014 - Brooklyn Nets, Exhibit by Aberson, Tulsa, OK
2013 - Light Sculptures, Mondo Cane, New York, NY
selected group exhibitions and events
2022
Unusual Suspects, panel discussion, National Basketry Organization’s “Virtually Woven”
Drawings You’ve Never Seen, Egg Collective, New York, NY
Festival of Lights, Kishka Gallery, White River Junction, VT
2021
Objects: USA 2020, R & Company, New York, NY
The Broom Show, Cooler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Vessel invitational: Revisioning the receptacle, The Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE
Traditional Techniques – Contemporary Modes, C. Gallery, Melbourne, AUS
2020
Under/Over, Marta, Los Angeles, CA
Essential Goods Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2019
More Than A Feeling, Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ
Home Futures, Ikea Museum, Sweden
Home is Everywhere, workshop lead at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Edge Walkers, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
2018
The Ashtray Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Mutants, Wentrcek Zebulon, Brooklyn, NY
URNS, Cooler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Working Relationship, North Seattle College Art Gallery, Seattle, WA
Home Futures, Design Museum, London, UK
2017
Artist Talk: PechaKucha 20x20: Some Trucs (with Tomoe Matsuoka), SuperDeluxe, Tokyo, Japan
The Paperweight Show, Fisher Parrish Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Cranbrook: The New Domestic Landscape, Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Gnomons, Non-Objectif Sud, Tulette, France
In Residence: Selections from the Open Studio Residency Programs, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Another Country, FiftyFifty, Kansas City, MO
2016
Interconnections: The Language of Basketry curated by Carol Eckert, Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton, NY
Some Trucs (with Tomoe Matsuoka), Bota Boutique, Kobe, Japan
Light: Fixtures and Sculpture LMak Gallery, NY, NY
The Lamp Show, 99cent Plus Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2015
Design/Miami with Patrick Parrish Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
Spatial Improvisational workshop instructor at Haystack Mountain School of Craft, Deer Isle, ME
Mural installation at BRIC cafe, Brooklyn, NY (collaboration with Tomoe Matsuoka and Michael Popp)
Sight Unseen Offsite at Collective Design Fair, NY, NY
Pretty Eyes, Electric Bills, Fordham University, NY, NY
Artist Talk: Practice makes Practice, Drury University S.E.A. Conference, Springfield, Mo
Artist Talk: Doug Johnston, Fordham University, NY, NY
2014
Drury | New York | San Francisco | Berlin, Drury University, Springfield, MO
Ethnobotany: An Artists’ Study of Plants, Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma, WA
Artist Talk: Making the 7H, Product Placement design talks, NY, NY
Collective 2 Design Fair, with Patrick Parrish Gallery, New York, NY
Das Haus Curated by Louise Campbell at the IMM Cologne, Germany
2013
Modern Craft, NoHo Design District / Merchants House Museum, New York, NY
LLIIGGHHTTSS, 7 Dunham Place, New York, NY
Sleight of Hand, Brian Morris Gallery, New York, NY
Cabinets of Curiosity, Mint, London, UK
Material Material, collaboration and artists' talk with Debbie Carlos, Little Paper Planes, San Francisco, CA
2012
Next Wave, MATTER, New York, NY
Partners and Spade, New York, NY
Product Porch, San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
A Spatial Surprise, Mint, London, UK
We're Revolting, Creatures of Comfort, Los Angeles, CA
Lecture: Physical Thought, Shieh Chen University Architecture and Fashion Departments, Taipei, Taiwan
Under 500, Mondo Cane, New York, NY
2011
Art of Space: Nests, lecture and public installation workshop, Springfield, MO
Performances with the Friendly Falcons, various locations, New York City
2008-2010
Musical Performance with Chris Doyle, Cafe Orwell, Brooklyn, NY
Musical Performance with Damezumari, Knitting Factory, Manhattan, NY
Mychrophobialactic: Adaptation Art, Philadelphia, PA
10-Penny hi-top: musical performance with The Friendly Falcons and Their Friend the Snake: Governor’s Island, NY
2006-2007
Graduate Degree Exhibition: Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Social Fabrication: Forum Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Orthodontics: 3 musical performances with Jeff Kurosaki and Tara
Pelletier, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Chirpin’ Hard: 6 musical performances with Jeff Kurosaki, Detroit, MI
Chairspray: PF Gallery, Clawson, MI
2002-2005
Block Party!: MLR exhibiton and musical performance, Tulsa, Ok
Atlatl/Damezumari Tour: musical performances, 10 locations in Eastern U.S.
Sound/Vision: Oklahoma City, OK
Dia de Los Muertos Fest: exhibiton and musical performances, Oklahoma
City, OK
Re:_design Gallery: Springfield, MO
FauxReal Gallery: Springfield, MO
Taunt: Mossa Center St. Louis, MO
education
2007
Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Master of Architecture
2002
Drury University, Springfield, MO
Bachelor of Architecture (NAAB Accredited)
Bachelor of Arts: Studio Arts