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Raynia Johnson, who returned to college for two decades while raising three kids, will be set to pursue a career as a fiber artist after graduating next year.
Raynia Johnson developed a flair for creating things with her hands after a high school arts homework class, an experience that has shaped her life. Under the guidance of her arts teacher at East St. John High School in Laplace, she learned to sew, crochet, and make sculpture, setting her on a course toward a career in the arts.
Her goal was to earn a degree in the arts and to become an arts educator. The plan was set in motion, but she put her goal on hold while she raised three children.
“I started having my children young when I was 20,” Johnson said. “I tried to go to college the first time, and I just never finished.”
The break lasted more than 20 years, but Johnson never abandoned her interest in the creative arts. “I have always known that I wanted to get my arts degree,” she said. “I told myself once my children were of age and self-sustainable, I would make an attempt.”
That moment came in 2023, when her youngest daughter entered high school. Now, mother and her youngest daughter are preparing to graduate next year, a milestone Johnson finds deeply meaningful.
For Johnson, the 43-year-old mother of three daughters, the decision to enroll at Southeastern Louisiana University was not just about earning a degree in visual art and design. Her motivation was rooted in demonstrating resilience to her children.
That consistency, together with her desire to set an example for her children, ultimately brought her back to school. “I wanted to show them that regardless of the path that you take, you can always get back on track,” Johnson said. “It’s never too late to reinvent yourself and start over again.”
Johnson has built her identity at SLU as a mixed-media artist specializing in fiber and 3D work. “My artistic style is mostly three-dimensional, anything I can build with my hands,” she said. Her work blends abstraction and realism with an emphasis on color.
She has also demonstrated academic excellence. Johnson, who describes herself as a non-traditional student, has earned top recognition for her artistic creativity at SLU.
Last Wednesday, at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences honors convocation in Pottle Auditorium, Johnson was among the students honored for academic excellence.
Her award-winning entry, Crown of Resilience, a sculpture inspired by the transatlantic slave trade, highlights both her technical skill and storytelling approach. Johnson received the 2026 Juried Student Exhibition Best in Show award from Southeastern Louisiana University’s Department of Visual Art and Design.
“I was completely shocked because it was unexpected,” Johnson said.
Each spring, the university hosts a juried student exhibition in its contemporary art gallery, where a panel of artists evaluates selected works. About 450 pieces were chosen for this year’s show.
Johnson’s piece depicts enslaved women braiding seeds into a man’s hair, a historical survival practice used to preserve food for planting.
“It wasn’t just an act of rebellion,” she said. “It was an act of survival so that they wouldn’t starve.”
The work contrasts scale, featuring a life-size head alongside miniature figures. In addition to Best in Show, Johnson also received Best in Sculpture.
Her artistic process begins with an idea, followed by sketches and experiments with textures and materials. She draws inspiration from artists such as Faith Ringgold, Bisa Butler, and the Women of Gee’s Bend.
Johnson said her identity and experiences shape the stories she tells through her art.“My background as a black woman in America influences my art,” she said. “Growing up not really knowing very much about my heritage … that plays a role.”
She said she feels a responsibility to reflect those experiences through her work.“I want to give voices to those people who did not have voices,” she said.
As she approaches graduation, Johnson is focused on both teaching and creating.“I see myself teaching art and also creating art for galleries,” she said. “But I still see myself teaching the craft to other students.”
She is currently preparing a new work for upcoming exhibitions, including the juried student show next year. Beyond her artistic goals, Johnson said she hopes her work resonates emotionally with audiences.
“I want people to feel a sense of reality, a sense of pride, when they see my art,” she said. “And I want them to feel the love, because everything I do is created with purpose and love.”
For Johnson, returning to college was not just about completing a degree; it was about proving that time does not erase ambition.
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