Vanessa Johnson is a Griot, a storyteller in the West African Tradition, and a mixed media fiber artist, community educator, museum consultant, activist, writer, playwright, actor, and vocalist. She is a recipient of a Mellon and Ford Foundation “Creatives Rebuild NY” grant. (2022-24)

Ms. Johnson uses her art forms to address social justice issues. Her visual and performance work addresses the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Abolitionists Resistance in the U.S., the Women’s Rights Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, Earth-Justice, Modern Day Human Trafficking, and Issues in Contemporary Women’s Lives. Ms. Johnson shares her biographical tales of living as an African-American Woman in the racially challenged United States, and of living part-time in Ghana, West Africa. She has had solo exhibitions of her mixed media fiber works at the ArtRage Gallery, Syracuse University’s Community Folk Art Center, The Schweinfurth Art Center, the Cayuga Museum in Auburn NY, and at the Onondaga Community College Anne Felton Gallery.

Her work has been in group exhibits at the Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration at Syracuse University, the SUNY Oswego Metro Center, the Ithaca Arts Center, the Warehouse on Geddes Street in Syracuse, and at the Tioga Arts Council.  Ms. Johnson has had exhibitions at the Betts, Beauchamp, Pettit, and Downtown branches of the Onondaga County Public Library system. She is the Founder of Syracuse Africa Bound (now Roots Uplifted) giving youth 12-18 years old the opportunity for educational and cultural travel to Ghana, West Africa. She founded and directed the Pan-African Village Harambee Youth Tent for 15 years at the New York State Fair where African-American, African, and African Diaspora cultural art forms were shared. 

Ms. Johnson performs with her band Matie Masie (Twi for “I listen, I understand.”) telling and singing stories to original music, rooted in African American musical traditions. Her play, “DOORS” was produced by the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company of Syracuse, NY in May of 2013. Ms. Johnson has taught Storytelling at the YMCA Writer’s Center, created the Griot Guides after school program at the S.U. Community Folk Art Center, and has taught fiber art, sewing, drama, and storytelling in various Onondaga County and City of Syracuse School District programs.

This program is made possible with a Tier Three Project Support grant from the County of Onondaga, with the support of County Executive Ryan McMahon and the Onondaga County Legislature, administered by CNY Arts.