Iskra Johnson

Digital Artist

Seattle, Washington

Iskra Johnson’s art practice is deeply rooted in the traditions of contemplative art, shaped by her years as a student of Asian calligraphy and her career as a calligrapher and letterform artist. Working across various media, Iskra remains deeply attuned to the language of mark-making and the qualities of the surfaces she works with.

As the principal of Iskra Design, she spent years crafting custom letterforms for book covers, logotypes, and packaging branding. Early in her career, she immersed herself in the study of Asian calligraphy, haiga, T’ai Chi, and sumi-e painting, studying under masters like Lucy Liu, John Leong, and Sensei Ishii. This period of Eastern influence paved the way for her later studies at the University of Washington, where she earned a BFA in painting with a secondary focus in printmaking.

Drawing inspiration from the convergence of Eastern contemplative practices and the Western drive for invention and creative freedom, Iskra’s work reflects a unique dialogue between harmony and chaos.