Johnson's soda fired porcelain and stoneware pots are inspired by the English gardens, wooded suburban landscape, and sporadic assemblage of neighborhood swing sets, fences, and rocks that appear outside his Pennsylvania studio window. The carvings on his pots are interpretations of life - some narrative, others abstracted, referencing a dream or memory. He accentuates his forms with squares and rectangles, “windows” that allude to those of his studio and reveal pieces of his surroundings.
Johnson received his BFA in Ceramics from Kansas City Art Institute before going on to complete his MFA in Ceramics at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA. Following his residency at The Clay Studio, he has maintained close ties with the community. Johnson has been featured in several solo and group exhibitions, including Brad Johnson: Recent Work (2010), Philadelphia Urban Potters & Guests (2018), Brad Johnson: Full Circle (2018), and 50 Years in the Making (2024).
