Peter Christian Johnson

Peter Christian Johnson is an Associate Professor of Art at Kent State University, following over a decade as the ceramics department head at Eastern Oregon University. He holds an MFA from Penn State University and a BS in Environmental Science from Wheaton College. His research explores entropy, transformation, and architectural metaphors through porcelain sculptures, focusing on tension between labor/collapse and precision/failure.

• Affiliations: School of Art (College of the Arts), Kent State University
• Key Roles: Area Head of Ceramics, Ceramic Artist, Visiting Lecturer

Johnson’s work has been exhibited internationally, including in the Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, the Faenza Prize in Italy, and the Zanesville Prize. He has received notable awards like the Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Artist Excellence Award (three times) and the Matsutani Fellowship at the Archie Bray Foundation. His art is featured in collections such as the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche (Italy) and the Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art (South Korea).

His publications include contributions to Contemporary Ceramic Art (Thames & Hudson) and Ceramique; 90 Artistes Contemporains, alongside articles in Ceramics Monthly and Sculpture Techniques. He frequently lectures at universities and institutions, including Harvard Ceramics and the Ohio State University.

Johnson’s grants include the Kent State Summer Research Grant (2018) and the Union County Cultural Coalition Visual Artist Grant (2014). His work often addresses material transformation and the intersection of beauty and loss through architectural forms.