Annabel Johnson: Artist & Educator
Hags Pottery is led by Annabel Johnson, whose dedication to fostering creativity and education has been the cornerstone of her career, alongside developing her own work.
"I’m deeply passionate about education and firmly believe in the importance of developing children’s creativity."
Annabel has a degree in Art History, a PGCE in Primary Education, and an MA in Museum and Gallery Education. With over a decade of experience as Curator for Schools at The Whitechapel Gallery, Annabel managed impactful school projects and spearheaded research on artist-led education initiatives as part of the Enquire Programme, overseen by Engage (The National Association for Gallery Education). She also developed an innovative co-mentoring programme for artists and secondary school teachers, enhancing collaboration between these two communities. She has contributed to many national arts education publications, and programmed the Engage international conference exploring young people and creative learning in museums and galleries.
Before her curatorial role, Annabel spent seven years as a primary school teacher and collaborated on the schools and families programme at the National Maritime Museum. There, she designed and introduced a popular family-focused initiative. Passionate about making art accessible, she developed Children’s Art School, an organisation offering art courses and clubs in schools and community venues across southwest London. She has also served as Head of Art and Design Technology at Donhead Preparatory School in Wimbledon.
Today, Annabel brings her expertise to The Courtauld Gallery, as a Gallery Educator where she leads engaging tours and drawing workshops for schools and adult groups, exploring The Courtauld collection. She also directs art-history-themed outreach projects in schools across London, continuing her mission to inspire and educate.
She lives in Wimbledon with her husband and two sons, balancing her professional endeavours with family life. When not in the studio, she enjoys exploring museums, reading widely, and walking along the coast and hills with her dog. She loves to run, conquering the London Marathon in 2019!
Curious about what goes on behind the scenes? Dive into the Blog for a look at the day-to-day creativity, challenges, and moments that make Hags Pottery really special!
Annabel: Artist
Annabel makes functional and decorative ceramics that allow the mind to wander to places long forgotten. Her work harnesses the sensory perceptions of walking and being. She is fascinated by the power of an object to contain memories, histories, and stories - which can be retrieved through sight and touch.
Her functional work - planters, vases and tableware - pare down her ideas, inviting the user on a personal journey of interaction. The hand of the maker purposefully evident and evoking her sense of the world.
Her experience as an educator informs her approach of how art allows people to articulate their own stories, to decipher and create meaning. The process of experimentation, making and discovery is fundamental, with the incomplete, unwanted, and mistaken outcome often coming to the foreground as part of the finished work. The safe space of play and the energy of learning is embraced in her process; sketches and maquettes made from photographs, taken while walking, are played with like toys to find pleasing compositions. Pieces are thrown and joined, evolving into final forms which are often playfully altered through slab additions, and carved motifs. Work is decorated through applying layers of handmade coloured slips and glazes, wax resist, underglaze, oxides and stains to create vibrant, textured and tactile surfaces referencing her experiences in the natural world.
Her studio is an essential part of her practice providing an inspirational space where conversations begin, and small groups of all ages inspire each other. Life’s concerns are debated finding creative expression in the form of new work. This space feeds Annabel’s desire to break down hierarchies between work and life and celebrate how people live and walk with purpose.
In the Dancing Angels triptych (created for her ceramics diploma final project), arrangements between and in-between three abstracted vases are investigated. A dance-like movement and conversation between them speaks of Annabel’s journey through life as child, mother, educator and woman entering a transitional time of life. Through the movement of their position, forms huddle like crones, bow in reverence or dance like divas. They speak of freedom, honesty, wisdom, and the friendship, conversation and support between women.
They exclaim from the heart and move to the dance of life.
Annabel: Educator
Annabel is an educator and researcher whose work centres on participatory art - creating opportunities for young people to develop creative skills, build confidence, and connect with their communities in educational and cultural settings such as galleries, community spaces, and learning centres.
Examples of projects curated by Annabel:
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Art History - |
Annabel is one of a team of specialist educators who guide students through hands-on, creative activities and close engagement with artworks in the collection. An example of a project she has worked extensively on is one which helps students deepen their mathematical understanding while exploring creative possibilities through art, using concepts like tessellation, symmetry, and rotation, and engaging with artworks from diverse cultures and histories. The work also extends into the realm of ceramics in the collection. Read the blog post Maths Through Art for more details |
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Engage International Conference |
Annabel programmed the annual conference for the National Society for Gallery Education in 2015 entitled ‘A Different Game: Young People working with Art and Artists’. Read the blog post A Different Game for more details |
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My Body Folded like a Map (2013) Edited and curated by Annabel Johnson |
The Whitechapel Gallery's schools programme includes year-long collaborations between artists, students and teachers. Artist and Filmmaker, Lucy Cash worked with the Year 10 Art Photography BTEC group and teacher and artist Ellie Green at Central Foundation School for Girls, Tower Hamlets, during the academic year 2011/12. |
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Interview with Recreative (2013) |
Recreative UK, an online platform that once supported young people in exploring contemporary art, spoke to Annabel Johnson about the value of artist residencies in schools for artists, teachers, and students. |
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The Hidden Curriculum (2013) Annabel Johnson |
Artist Annette Krauss worked with students from Tower Hamlets and Newham to create new work exploring the idea of the Hidden Curriculum (the informal lessons and knowledge learned beyond official schooling) through collaborative engagement with the schools and the Whitechapel Gallery. Read the blog post The Seriousness of Play for more details |
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The Isles of Silly (2009) Annabel Johnson |
Ania Bas collaborated with Year 9 students to explore contested spaces around their school, creating a performative tour of personal 'isles' that highlight overlooked, meaningful spots and connect life inside and outside the school gates. |
Publications:
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Pots of Potential (Aug 2023) Sunday Times Article by Hugh Graham |
"My house renovation inspired me to open a pottery school in the garden"
Blog post: Pots of Potential |
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The Art of Change (2018) Issue 21. AD Mgazine |
Annabel's article describes her collaboration with artist Sarah Carne, where a large-scale snakes and ladders game became key to developing children's problem-solving skills and political voice. Blog post: The Art of Change |
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A Professional Journey (Dec 2014) Engage 35 Journal |
"Teacher/educator/curator/mother/artist"
Blog post: A Professional Journey |
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The Seriousness of Play (2014) Issue 10, AD Magazine |
A curator's perspective of the Hidden Curriculum project.
Blog post: The Seriousness of Play |
