Paddy Johnson at LDSOA

Writing about art is a dicey proposition, one that requires an encyclopaedic knowledge of what has come before as well as a clear mind to the critic's own tastes. Add in the ability to write clearly and, well, we can all see why there might be a dearth of art critics today.

Paddy Johnson is someone who has cleared these hurdles and more, and she will be at the Lamar Dodd School of Art for critiques and a public lecture next week:

the founding editor of the blog Art Fag City, will speak Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m. in Room S151 of the School of Art.

She will discuss the seven years she’s spent managing the blog, where she’s been and where she sees the blog heading.

“It’s a pretty exciting time for the blog right now, so I’m glad to have the opportunity to discuss what we’re doing with students,” Johnson said.

In addition to her blog and a regular column in The L Magazine, Johnson’s art criticism has appeared in New York Magazine, Art in America, The Huffington Post, The Guardian and numerous other print and online publications. In 2008, she became the first blogger to earn a Creative Capital Arts Writers grant from the Creative Capital Foundation. Art Fag City won the 2010 and 2011 Village Voice awards for best art blog.

Johnson has lectured on art and the Internet at venues including Yale University, South by Southwest and the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program.

I'm going to interview her for my show while she's on campus and I'm really looking forward to it. 

Late Update: Due to hurricane Sandy and the chaos for travel from the Northeast, Johnson's visit has been re-scheduled. We will update details of her visit as they become available.