Kara Cobb Johnson

Lives and works in Chicago, IL, USA

Artist statement

My process begins not in the studio, but in the aisles of a hardware store. My inspiration comes from unlikely materials—construction-grade DIY supplies, screenprint ink, and spackle—are chosen not for their prestige but for their potential. This act of selection is itself a form of artistic research, a tactile and visual engagement with the everyday. I live a “constant state of visuality,” absorbing the works of my peers and researching artists in general while collecting supplies, allowing inspiration to flow freely and without agenda. The result is usually a series of works that resist polish and permanence. They struggle to maintain viable form, as if caught mid-construction or mid-collapse. This tension is not a flaw to me—it’s the point. Coming of age in the 90's grunge era informs my attitude that art exists in the liminal space where the commodity ends and art begins. A grunge inspired refusal to let materials settle into their expected roles-to defy, to reclaim and repurpose. My work challenges the boundaries between construction and contemplation, commodity and creation. I am interested in the exploration of form, material, and meaning. Specifically, I introduce a formalist vocabulary that includes reflective surfaces, shadow play, and linear drapes that fall off the main structures like gestures frozen in motion. These elements evoke drawing, architecture, and sculpture simultaneously, creating a hybrid visual language that is both delicate and industrial. My...

Artwork