Cathy Johnson Johnson

Cathy G. Johnson is an artist based in Providence, Rhode Island, situated on Wampanoag and Narragansett land. She engages in creating comics, prints, paintings, drawings, and zines. Johnson’s artistic focus revolves around the intricate realms of young individuals, delving into both the challenges and moments of happiness during adolescence. Her creative expression often incorporates themes of nature and rebellion.

As an accomplished cartoonist, Johnson boasts a collection of accolades. Notable among her accomplishments are graphic novels like “Jeremiah” (One Percent Press, 2015), “Gorgeous” (Koyama Press, 2016), and “The Breakaways” (First Second, 2019). Complementing these are several smaller works published by renowned houses such as Czap Books, Youth in Decline, and Silver Sprocket, in conjunction with her self-published endeavors. Anticipation surrounds her upcoming graphic novel titled “Charger County,” scheduled for release through Silver Sprocket.

Beyond her cartooning, Johnson is an adept printmaker and holds a Studio Membership at Binch Press / Queer Archive Work. This cooperative printmaking studio places a focal point on promoting the artistic endeavors of queer, trans, and artists of color.

Education and scholarship are also integral to Johnson’s pursuits. With a teaching career commencing in 2012, she successfully attained a master’s degree in Teaching + Learning in Art + Design from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017. Johnson openly shares her experiences and insights on education through her website, ComicArtEd.com. Additionally, she co-hosts a podcast titled “Drawing a Dialogue,” where the discourse centers on comics within historical, theoretical, and educational contexts. Johnson’s scholarly contributions extend to her recent chapter in the book “Teaching with Comics,” published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2022.

Publications

• Upcoming (202X) Charger County, Silver Sprocket, San Francisco, CA
• 2022 Teaching with Comics, chapter author “Comic Art Ed: Making Comics Is for Everyone!,” edited by Robert Aman and Lars Wallner, Palgrave Macmillan, Linköping University, Sweden
• 2022 Datura Magazine #1, Body Count, edited by Sunmi and Mar Julia, comics anthology
• 2020 Black Hole Heart, self-publication
• 2019 The Breakaways, Middle-grade graphic novel, 224p, First Second and Macmillan Publishing, New York, NY
• 2017 Developing the Cartooning Mind: The History, Theory, Benefit and Practice of Comic Books in Visual Arts Education, Unpublished Master’s thesis, Rhode Island School of Design.
• 2016 Gorgeous, Graphic novel, 60p, Koyama Press, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• 2015 Jeremiah, Graphic novel, 160p, One Percent Press, Buffalo, NY

Awards

• 2020 Winner of the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Minicomic, Black Hole Heart
• 2020 Winner of the MICE Mini-Grant, Black Hole Heart
• 2019 Winner of the Dorry Award for Book of the Year in Children’s/YA, The Breakaways, Providence, RI
• 2015 Project Grant, Rhode Island State Council for the Arts (RISCA), Providence, RI
• 2014 Winner of the Ignatz Award in Promising New Talent, Small Press Expo, Bethesda, MD