From Under Shifting Sands

From Under Shifting Sands employs the combined intaglio/relief approach to render the theme of partial emergence and obscured form. The title suggests something buried or in motion — revealed in fragments, partially covered. Johnson likely used the relief passages to establish surface-level texture analogous to sand: granular, repetitive marks produced from a carved or textured block. Intaglio elements may create the sense of depth or subsurface, with softer tonal transitions suggesting what lies beneath or is in the act of surfacing. The visual grammar of ground and figure is therefore enacted through the technical division between the two printing methods. Johnson's deep engagement with natural process — evident across her career — makes geological and elemental subjects recurring points of reference in her abstract work. The print probably uses a warm or neutral palette suited to its landscape-derived subject matter.