Kiel Johnson, BFA: Sculpture & Drawing '98
Q: When did you graduate from KU, and what was your Major/Minor?
A: "1998 - BFA Sculpture & Drawing"
Q: What have you been up to post-graduation?
A: "Since graduating from KU about 30 years ago, I’ve basically been making a living with my imagination. I make sculptures, videos, animations, drawings—whatever the idea calls for—and I’ve traveled around the world doing workshops, museum projects, and collaborations with communities and organizations like TED or FIFA. Along the way I’ve also done a lot of speaking about my work, and I’ve found that talking about it—especially with large audiences—really helps unlock new understanding of the work itself. The thread through all of it is using simple materials and everyday inspiration to bring people together and spark creativity.
After about 25 years living and working in Los Angeles, six years ago I bought an old church, a Sunday school, and a parsonage in a small town in Central California, right st the edge of Steinbeck country, about halfway between San Francisco and LA. My partner Nadine and I have been slowly remodeling the whole place into a kind of personal arts compound and garden—new studios, living spaces, and places to make things. It’s not exactly an art project, but in a way it’s become a kind of living sculpture. It’s something we work on every day—I even ring the old church bell at noon—and it’s become a big part of my creative life while I continue my art practice."
Q: What would you like to share with current and future Visual Art students?
A: "Work hard, believe in your ideas, and don’t let too many outside voices steer you away from them. Over time you learn to recognize that moment when something just clicks—the composition, the color, the idea—and you think, ‘that’s it.’ But a lot of good ideas actually show up while you’re working on a bad one, so the real trick is just getting started. I have to remind myself of that all the time—if you don’t start, nothing happens, and starting is the only way to move forward. And the other thing to remember is that the people around you right now are your network for life. You’ll meet more people and lose track of some, but many of these folks will still be part of your creative world decades from now—so collaborate, support each other, and most of all have fun. It all goes by pretty fast."
