Artwork copyright Thomas Johnston. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1986.

Artwork copyright Thomas Johnston. Photo courtesy of Pierce College, 2021.

Vertigo (with red center), 1984

Thomas Johnston
American (born 1941)

Location: Pierce College - Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood

About the Artwork

Artist Thomas Johnston's Vertigo (with red center) print is part of a body of work focused on the square and systems of dividing and organizing square forms. He states, "The tilting square, at once majestic and orderly is set askew in a sea of chaos. In creating this image, I introduced the element of chance and accident. […] In using the intaglio process, I work a series of images, adjusting, refining, altering, and experimenting until the picture is complete."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Pierce College District.

About the Artist

Artist Thomas Johnston is a printmaker, painter, and photographer. He founded the printmaking program at Western Washington University in Bellingham (Northwestern Washington), where he taught for 39 years. After retiring in 2006, Johnston relocated to Olympia, Washington. He has worked independently and held artist residencies in Mexico, Canada, Belgium, England, France, and Italy. He earned a bachelor's degree from San Diego State College and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.