Randy Johnston, Maker of Mystery Pot 52!
Randy Johnston is a distinguished American studio potter known for his wood-fired stoneware that harmonizes sculptural form with functional utility. Deeply influenced by the Japanese mingei tradition, Johnston studied under legendary potter Warren MacKenzie at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his BFA. He later apprenticed in Mashiko, Japan with National Living Treasure Tatsuzo Shimaoka, and went on to complete an MFA at Southern Illinois University.
Johnston’s ceramics career spans over five decades. He is widely recognized for advancing wood-firing techniques in the U.S., building and firing both noborigama and anagama kilns. His work—characterized by bold forms, natural ash surfaces, and expressive brushwork—has been exhibited internationally and is held in the collections of major institutions including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Johnston served as professor and chair of ceramics at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls from 1992 to 2006. He has received numerous accolades, including two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and a Bush Foundation Artist Fellowship.
He lives and works in River Falls, Wisconsin, where he shares a studio and showroom with his wife, celebrated ceramic artist Jan McKeachie Johnston. Together, they maintain an active studio practice, collaborating and exhibiting widely while continuing to mentor the next generation of potters.
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