Jen Johnson is a fine art photographer, writer, and mindfulness & creativity coach. She has had a pen, writing notebook, and camera in her hand since she was seven years old.
Jen’s photographs are a contemplative inquiry into psychological space, place, memory, loss, and longing. She investigates the liminal space between what was, what is, and what will be in an evolving world. Jen’s dreamlike photographs explore the beauty and complexity of the human experience of loss and longing and the search for home in an ever-changing landscape.
Jen is the creator and director of Invisible Wounds of War, a project that brings veterans’ invisible wounds to light through photography and writing. She was a 2015 and 2017 recipient of the North Carolina Humanities Council’s “Standing Together” grant to support the project. Jen was a 2017 recipient of the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County’s “Regional Artist Project Grant” to support her Ghost Trees photography exhibition. This exhibition explores the environmental degradation of the Cape Fear River.
Jen’s writing has been published in magazines, newspapers, blogs, and literary journals. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and published on book covers, in magazines and on CD covers, and her writing has been published in magazines and literary journals.
Jen has taught writing at Mars Hill College, Antioch MacGregor University, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, and University of North Carolina Asheville. Her photographs are available for sale and licensing, and she is available for commissioned work for book covers and CD covers.
Jen holds an MFA in interdisciplinary arts with a focus on photography, writing, and art and healing, an MS in Counseling, and an MS in Rehabilitation Counseling. Her work has been featured on NBC News Better, NPR, PainPathways Magazine, Shape Magazine, Psychology Today, and Celiac Corner.
Jen offers 1:1 mindfulness training and coaching, psychotherapy, and online mindfulness & creativity courses. For more information, please visit Jen Johnson.
Jen lives in Wilmington, North Carolina. She’s currently working on the Ghost Trees series that explores loss, longing, and the search for home in an ever-changing landscape. The project investigates trees that are dying in the Cape Fear River Basin from rising saltwater due to climate change. When Jen is not out making photographs, you can find her hanging out in her studio or on her front porch with her magical little dog, Ari Rooh.
Grant Awards
The North Carolina Humanities Council Standing Together Grant recipient 2016-2017
The Arts Council of Wilmington Regional Artist Project Grant 2016-2017
The North Carolina Humanities Council Standing Together Grant recipient 2015
Education and Training
MFA Goddard College 2007
MS Rehabilitation Counseling, Georgia State University 1996
MS Community Counseling, Georgia State University 1991
BA Psychology, Meredith College 1986
Photography Collections
Georgia State University
Shepherd Pain Clinic
Atlanta Medical Clinic
Merrill Lynch
private collections
Select Solo Exhibitions
2017 Ghost Trees. Expo 216 Gallery, Wilmington, NC
2017 Invisible Wounds of War. The Arts Council of Wilmington.
2015 Invisible Wounds of War. UNCW Randall Library
2009 Asheville Then & Now. Created contemporary images of photograph scenes made by Andrea Clark in the 1970s for a then and now perspective exhibit. YMI Cultural Center, Asheville, NC
Select Group Exhibitions
2019 Art of the Image ’19. Art in Bloom Gallery and theArtWorks. Juror Beth Handler Riebe. First Place
Award Winner for “The Answer Lies Within” from the Ghost Trees project.
2017 Into the Deep. Online group show curated by Catherine Just
2007 Crossing Over: Looking from There to Here, Looking from Here to There. The Annexe Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2006 Whimsical Dreams of August. Avenue Art Gallery, Endicott, NY
2006 A Sister’s Call. Writing published with photography exhibit by Rebecca Shaper. Emory University Law Library. Atlanta, GA
2005 ten. The Seen Gallery. Atlanta, GA
2003 Photographer’s Choice. Atlanta Photography Group Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Teaching Experience
Teacher in residence at Wells College in Aurora, New York. Interdisciplinary teaching residency for the psychology, creative writing, and theater and dance departments. March 2016.
Mars Hill College: Expository Essay; Documented Essay
A-B Technical Community College: Expository Writing
Antioch University McGregor: Journaling for Transformation
UNC-Asheville College for Seniors: Writing From Life; Witness Narratives: Stories of Survival
UNC-Wilmington Osher Lifelong Learning Institute: Meditation for Stress Reduction
Publications
“Mindful Writing for Transformation” book chapter in Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists, and Clients: A Complete Guide to the Benefits of Personal Writing. Routledge, 2021.
“Making Peace with Your Inner Critic” book chapter in The Creativity Workbook for Coaches and Creatives: 50+ Inspiring Exercises from Creativity Coaches Worldwide. Routledge, 2019.
“Healing Bodies & Souls through Writing and Photography” PainPathways Magazine Fall 2016.
“Meeting Pain with Mindfulness” Pain Pathways Magazine. Summer 2014 edition print and digital.
“After the Diagnosis: Coping with Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity.” Guest Author, CeliacCorner Blog. 2013.
“Finding Joy After Loss.” Psychology Today Blog Guest post for Eric Maisel’s Rethinking Psychology blog. April 2, 2013.
“10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Stress.” mindbodygreen.com September 14, 2012.
“5 Things You Can Do to Live a Mindful Life.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. October 24, 2012.
“Are You Balanced? Here Are the 7 Kinds of Wellness You Need.” mindbodygreen.com November 12, 2012.
“How to Meditate Part I: Awareness of Breath Meditation.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. November 6, 2012.
“How to Meditate Part II: Mindfulness of the Body.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. December 5, 2012.
“How to Meditate Part III: Mindfulness of Feelings.” JenningsWire: The World of Success. April 18, 2013.
“How to Commit to Your Creativity” Creativity for Life. October 2012.
“Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Improve your sense of wellbeing” Naturally ILM. April 2012.
Feature: “The Value of a Vacation” New Life Journal. June 2009.
“The Wreck,” “After The Wreck,” and “Plastic Surgery Phase II” poems transposed onto photographs.
The-Healing-Muse: A Journal of Literary and Visual Arts. October 2008, Volume 8.
Feature: “The Healing Power of Writing From Life” New Life Journal. July 2008.
Acquired Brain Injury Vocational Rehabilitation Manual. Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA. 1998.
An Overview of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome. University of Florida/Intellicus Life Care Plan Training Program. Module 3- Multiple Disabilities section, pp. 55-70. 1997.
Vocational Rehabilitation with Persons With Acquired Brain Injury. Shepherd Center Acquired Brain Injury Program Family Training Manual. 1996.
Child Abuse Prevention and Survivor’s Helpline Training Manual. Georgia Council on Child Abuse. 1994.
Jen’s photographs have been published on CD covers and in magazines including PainPathways Magazine, Spinal Column, Peachtree Magazine, and New Mobility.
Presentations
When Language Fails: Reconstructing Meaning Through Photography and Memoir Writing. Narrative Matters 2008: An International Interdisciplinary Conference on Narrative Research, Perspectives, Practices and Issues, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. May 10, 2008.
A Narrative Exploration of Healing from Illness or Catastrophic Injury. Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008.
Creative Writing as Reflective Practice for the Healthcare Professional. Wellness and Writing Connection Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008.
When Language Fails. Reading from memoir in progress. Wellness and Writing Connections Conference. Atlanta, GA. October 2008.