Aloha! My name is Renée Parker Johnston. I live on the beautiful island of Kauai, the oldest island of the five main Hawaiian islands. I live with my husband and three daughters on our small farm. We try to live a simple off-grid life; growing fruit, coconuts, vegetables, and shepherding. I am a ceramicist. I first started exploring the clay medium in high school, in the midwest, where I was raised. After graduating, I moved to the east coast where I studied art at Virginia Commonwealth University. Inspired and excited, I made my way to New York City and found work with Alex Streeter in Soho as a jeweler. After September 11th, I moved to Kauai and set up my own studio, mainly focusing on ceramic sculpture and teaching classes.

In 2018, I began working with Dean McCraine, an old friend and colleague who had recently acquired much fame after a video, showcasing his colored clay technique, went viral on the internet. Dean had so much work with his newfound popularity that he needed help meeting the demand. This is when I started using colored clay in my work. I now work in porcelain high fire clay, cone 10. My art has often been sculptural, but since working with Dean, I have found myself incorporating functionality into more of my work. Of late, I have been taking a combination of techniques that I’ve learned at Lightwave Studio while pulling from my own history of jewelry making, to create little colorful works of art.

On Kauai, we have a gallery attached to our studio where people freely walk in. This is our livelihood, but in the wake of recent changes, all travel has been restricted to Kauai and the residents of Kauai have lost the very economy that once sustained them. We can only hope that this is a temporary pause, a time to reflect and recall what is most vital, but these unforeseen circumstances have been my inspiration to create this etsy store. My artwork has now become available to a wider audience, and I believe that to be a good thing. Thank you for taking the time to visit my online shop. I wish you good health and much beauty.

Renée Parker Johnston