Lori Johnson is an American contemporary abstract painter known for her richly layered compositions, expressive color, and energetic mark-making. Working from her Dallas studio—and soon expanding her practice to a second studio in Salt Lake City, Utah—she often moves between several canvases simultaneously. Her work draws inspiration from landscape, personal experience, and the expressive beauty of color and ornamentation.
Johnson’s creative process is both intuitive and deliberate. She pours, sculpts, scratches, and veils the paint, allowing each composition to evolve through a dynamic tension of concealment and revelation. Words and phrases are frequently embedded beneath the surface, giving the work an unseen emotional foundation and deeper sense of intention. Her paintings celebrate the beauty that can emerge through life’s difficult, unfinished stages—and the courage to begin again.
Alive with movement, texture, and sophisticated color, Johnson’s work brings energy and emotional resonance to thoughtfully designed residential and hospitality interiors. Each piece is created to do more than complement a space; it is intended to shape how that space feels. Her guiding philosophy is simple: intentional art matters.
Johnson’s work has been exhibited throughout Texas and the Midwest and is held in private collections across the country. Her paintings have appeared in productions for A&E, HGTV, and Magnolia Network and have been carried by national retailers including HomeGoods and HomeSense. She has also presented her work at Las Vegas Market and High Point Market in collaboration with Wexel Art.
Beyond the studio, Johnson is deeply committed to using creativity in service of others. She has supported organizations including Ronald McDonald House, Ranch Hand Rescue, Bob’s House of Hope, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and Make-A-Wish. She is also a cofounder of Design Besties, a nonprofit that transforms teacher lounges in underserved schools across the country , creating restorative, beautifully designed spaces for the educators who give so much to their communities.
Learn more at lorijohnsonfineart.com and designbesties.org.
