Jody Johnson & Susie Frost present “ Light and Shadows”
An exhibition of paintings and art lighting.
What do a vege-matic, polaroid land camera and a vintage leather bike seat have in common? They’ve all been turned into exquisitely crafted, fun and fully functional lamps by Provincetown artist Jody Johnson. There probably isn’t an object that Jody couldn’t or hasn’t already turned into a lamp. Jody scours flea markets, antique and second-hand shops as well as tag sales to find the objects she meticulously transforms into lamps. Most often they are from a by gone era-a rotary telephone, 8mm film projector and nearly any mid-century small kitchen appliance. Jody has repurposed all of these forgotten objects and made them useful and new again.
Jody Johnson is a self-taught artist whose philosophy in life is to just dive in head first and figure it out as she goes along. This curiosity and willingness to try new things has led to four decades of creating in various mediums.
“Doing this has been a passion since I was a little kid. I have always taken things apart and put them back together. It makes me so happy to know these objects were once loved and treasured and I hope that I can have that happen again for each of the objects that I work with.” Say Jody
“One of the things I love most about Jody’s work is that when people see it, they instantly smile. Each of the objects she choses to transform has histories, memories, and associations attached to them for nearly every person who looks at them.”
“To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful, and pretty, yes pretty! There are far too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them.” Pierre Auguste Renoir This quote has always resonated with me. As far back as I can remember making art has been my passion. My work is meant to bring beauty and joy to the viewer. I want to convey my gratitude to the wonder and beauty that surrounds us here on Cape Cod and allow the viewer to experience the charm for themselves.
Growing up here and enjoying the ocean, dunes and gardens drenched in the light has shaped my vision and inspired me. I have observed more than my imagination could conger up alone. Some of my acrylic paintings showcase the graceful morning sun and dark purple afternoon shadows that are splashed in the dunes.
Susie Frost attended Swain School of Design, and works full time as an artist on Cape Cod with interests in painting and pottery.