Jorie Johnson enjoys designing, producing and wearing her unique handmade woolen felt creations. Introduced to the traditional textile technique in Finland, in 1977, by learning to make Scandinavian felt boots, Jorie was immediately enchanted by the magic and power of felting.

Jorie grew up in the household of a wool and fiber merchant and studied textile design for industry at RISD (USA) and KOTO (Finland). While on a whimsical 3-month tour of Japan in 1987, she decided that twelve weeks simply was not long enough, and she's lived there ever since. It was in Kyoto, Japan, that she re-established her textile studio and trademarked the name Joi Rae.

After studying industrial textile design (weaving and printing) for fashion and interiors Jorie found her compatible expression in fiber through the traditional medium of feltmaking.

Her combination of rich colors and layering techniques, working various materials such as silk, rayon, and mohair into the felt product, results in warm, one-of-a-kind autumn, winter and spring clothing and accessories for the discerning collector.

Jorie has developed her own innovative expression of the 8,000-year-old central-Asian technique of feltmaking--felt being the first textile created by man. Jorie exhibits her contemporary feltworks in galleries, shops, and museums around the world.

Jorie generally takes time off from her studio work during the spring semester to lecture at various institutions. She holds a part-time lecturing post in the Textile Design Department of the Kyoto University of Art and Design. During the summer months, to escape the heat and humidity of Kyoto, she travels on research expeditions to learn more about traditional felting from different cultures. She attends international felt symposiums and gives workshops about contemporary surface- and design-technique developments in feltmaking.

Selected Resume

Education

1983-1984 Helsinki University of Art and Design (UIAH), Finland; Department of Interior Architecture
1977-1978 Pohjois-Savo Polytechnic, Kuopion Academy of Crafts and Design (KOTO), Finland; Department of Textile Design
1976-1977 Rhode Island School of Design, RI, USA; Department of Textile Design
1972-1974 Wheaton College, MA, USA; Liberal Arts including Studio Arts, Early Childhood Education, French

Significant Milestones

2000-present Kyoto University of Art and Design, part-time lecturer in the department of Textile Design; Feltmaking techniques, Japan
1999 Author of Feltmaking- Wool Magic, published by Seigensha, Kyoto (second printing 2001 March)
1997-1999 Kyoto College of Art, part-time lecturer in the departments of Textile and Fashion Design; Feltmaking techniques, Japan
1997- JOI RAE TEXTILES trademark received, Japan
1988-present Residing and working in Kyoto, Japan. Textile design studio and production of works for exhibition; lecturing and teaching various feltmaking workshops for institutions and private students in Japan and around the world; researching Japanese traditional and contemporary textiles.
1985-1986 UIAH, Helsinki, Finland. Printing Master and Teacher's Assistant in the Textile Department. Overall management of textile printing studio.
1984-1985 KOTO, Kuopio, Finland. Full time teacher of textile design for woven and printed fabrics. Also silkscreen and special printing techniques instructor.
1979-present Joi Rae Textiles established in Boston, MA, USA. A textile design studio concentrating in unique handmade fabrics, accessories and carpets
1978 Marimekko Oy, Helsinki, Finland. Work/study program for fabric production in a variety of color ways with professional assistance and construction into final garments.
1977 Cone Mills Marketing Co., NYC., USA Work/study program in the Women's and Children's Wear textile design studio; drawing techniques and colorways.

Private Collections

Kawashima Textile School, Japan
Marushin Felt Company, Japan
Nuno Corporation, Japan
The Bank of Boston, USA
Victoria and Albert Museum, England

Publications

2002 The Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art, by Katherine Duncan Aimone, pp. 140-143, Lark Books, S.C., USA
"Challenges of Contemporary Textile Designers," Ginka, no. 132, Winter, pp.31-33, Bunka Shuppan Kyoku
"Jorie Johnson: Coaxing Fashion from Felt," by Katherine Duncan Aimone, Fiberarts Magazine, Mar/Apr Vol. 28,no. 5, pp.30-34, Altamont Press, S.C., USA
Making Beautiful Beads, contributing artist, pp7-25, Lark Books, S.C., USA
"Kyoto by way of Kuopio," RISD Views, Vol. 88 no.4 June, p. 24, RI, USA
2001 "Jorie Johnson's Wool Magic," Senshoku Alpha, 2001/8, no. 245, Kyoto, Japan
2000 "Adult Education Series: Handmade Fabrics," Heibonsha, Tokyo, Japan
Filz Felt- Art, Crafts and Design, Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Germany
"Enchanted by Wool", Nice Life vol. 23, winter, Yubinchokin Shinkokai, Japan
"Making Fabric: Wool Magic in Free-form", Mrs. Magazine, Feb., Bunka Shuppan Publishing Co., Tokyo, Japan
1999 Feltmaking-Wool Magic, written by Jorie Johnson, Seigensha, Japan
The Fiberarts Design Book VI, Altamont Press, USA
1998 "Virtuoso! Goes to Great Lengths at Convergence 98," Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot Magazine, USA
"Ever Changing Unrestricted Felting," Keitodama, Japan
1997 "Feltmaking:Three Dimensional Magic, Jorie Johnson" Dyeing & Weaving Magazine, Japan
1996 Felt, New Directions for an Ancient Craft, by Gunilla Sjoberg Interweave Press, USA
"New Lines, A Collection of Clothing," Fiberarts Magazine, USA
1995 "Jorie Johnson's World of Felt," Textiel Plus Magazine, The Netherlands
1994 Tova, Gammal Teknik Pa Nytt Satt, by Gunilla Sjoberg LTs Foelag Ab, Sweden
"Yllaa tyksia Huopamaastossa," TAITO, Kasi-ja Taideteollisuuslehti, Finland
FILT, Kunst, Teknik, Histoire, by Annette Damgaard Forlaget Horedland, Denmark
"An International Language. A Portfolio of Contemporary Felt," Surface Design Journal, USA
1992 "Feltwork:Form as Freedom," Magazine for Crafts & Artware with Life, Japan
1991 "Interesting Feltmaking Techniques; Part I and Part II, Senshoku Alpha (No. 126 and 127) Japan
"Won't You Wear a Hat?-Welcome to Feltworks," Interior & Handmade, Japan
1982 The Fiberarts Design Book II, Altamont Press, USA

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2003 "Jorie Johnson," Gallery Sofu, Shizuoka, Japan
2002 "Wool Magic," Gallery Sou, Sendai, Japan
"Passion," Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo, Japan
"Principles," Ecru + HM, Ginza, Japan
2001 "neXus," GalleryGallery, Kyoto, Japan
"Jorie Johnson," Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, Japan
"Seamless," Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo, Japan
1999 "Color Form Expression" Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo, Japan
"Travel Tales," Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, Japan
1998 "Felt Hats and Accessories," Hipotesi, Barcelona, Spain
1997 "Welcome Winter," Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, Japan
1996 "Opulence in Camouflage," Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo, Japan
1983 "A Rug for the Wall or a Rug for the Floor," Stockmann OY, Helsinki, Finland

Selected Group Shows

2002 Japan Creations 2003, Textile Contest, Tokyo, Japan
"New Waves: New Techniques, New Materials," (First Prize) HGA Convergence, Vancouver, Canada
"Felt Crossing Borders," Art Life Mitsuhashi, Kyoto, Japan
2001 Japan Creations 2002, Textile Contest ( )Tokyo, Japan
"Secret Messages, Sacred Portals," Santa Fe Weaving Gallery's 20th Invitational Show, Santa Fe, N.M., USA
Japanese Crafts 2001 Exhibition ('00,'96-'93,) Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Japan
2000 Japan Creations 2001, Textile Contest (Japan Textile Designer's Association Award) Tokyo, Japan
2000-2003 "European Felt Art," an international exhibition traveling in Germany and Finland (2002)
2000-2001 "New Directions- Art of the Feltmaker," an international exhibition traveling the UK
1999 6th International Textile Competition (ITF), Kyoto Cultural Museum, Kyoto, Japan
1998 "Small Expression," Atlanta International Museum, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
"Virtuoso Fabrics Exhibition," Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1997 "In-vestments," and "The Body Eclectic," Spruill Center for the Arts, Atlanta, GA, USA
1996 "Hat Toss: A Celebration of Hats," Joanne Rapp Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
"Regards sur le feutre," Le Musee du Chapeau, Chazelles-sur-Lyon, France
"Headlines" Contemporary Headwear from the Functional to the Fantastic, Collins Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
"New Visions of Feltmaking," Anne Kaiser Gallery, Chur, Switzerland
1995 Textile '95 Miniature Works, Contemporary Art of Japan, Gallery Gallery, Traveling Exhibition Japan, Canada, Australia
1994 "Felt Exotica," National Exhibition Centre, Castlegar,B.C., Canada
'Felt Directions," Collins Gallery, Glasglow, Scotland and Mouzon, France
1993 ('90) Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition, Osaka, Tokyo, Japan
1992 Textile Miniature Works, Contemporary Art of Japan, Gallery Gallery, Japan, Belgium, Canada
"Ceramics, Felt, Metal," Itami Crafts Center, Itami, Japan
1992 Itami Craft Competition ('91,'90) , Itami, Japan

Shops that Carry Works by Joi Rae Textiles

1999- present Design in Textiles by Mary Jaegar
51 Spring Street, NYC, USA Tel: 212-941-5877
1998 HunderwasserKunstHaus, Vienna, Austria
1995 American Craft Museum Shop, New York, USA

Awards

2002 New Waves: New Techniques, New Materials, (First Prize) HGA Convergence, Vancouver, Canada
2001 Japan Creations 2002 Textile Contest (First Prize) Tokyo, Japan
2000 Japan Creations 2001 Textile Contest (Japan Textile Designer's Association Award) Tokyo, Japan
1998 Virtuoso Fabrics Exhibition (First Prize) WGA Convergence, Atlanta, Georgia USA
1993 Takaoka Crafts Competition (Judges Award) Takaoka, Japan
Farmer's Fashion Design Competition (Outerwear Fabrics Top Award) Tama, Japan
New Zealand National Woolcrafts Festival Exhibition (The Wool Board Award for the Best Article in Wool) Wellington, N.Z.

Symposia

2001 International Felt Symposium and Exhibition, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
2000 "Felt Works- Entering the 21st Century," Invited tutor, lecturer, and exhibition member, Skals, Denmark
1999 "Felt Wandering of the Midnight Sun," Invited Tutor, Jamsa, Finland
1998 International Textilfest, Invited tutor, Waldviertal, Austria
"Hat Variation's," Invited artist and exhibition member, Lenzen Filtz Manufaktur, Lenzen, Germany
1997 "Make Friends," First Georgian Textile Symposium, Lecturer and exhibition member, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
1996 International Felt Symposium participant, Chur, Switzerland
1995 Artists and Ethnographers for Mongolian Felt II, Invited tutor, UlaanBaator, Mongolia
1994 "Felt, From Nomadic Tent to Office Oasis," Invited tutor and exhibition member, The Nederlands Textielmuseum, Tilburg, The Nederlands
1993 "Felt Crossing Borders," Invited tutor and traveling exhibition, Hamar, Norway, Kuopio, Finland
1992 Berliner Filtz Symposium I, Artist-in-residence, Lenzen Filtz Manufaktur, Lenzen, Germany
1991 "Experimental Felt Works," Musee de Feutre, Invited artist, Mouzon, France
1990 International Felt Symposium and juried exhibiton, Aarhus, Denmark
International Felt Camp, Korro, Sweden
1987 International Felt Symposium, Keckemet, Hungary
1986 International Felt Symposium, Keckemet, Hungary