Jolisha Johnson-Ponti

Jolisha Johnson-Ponti is a queer, Black, Detroit-based textile artist and musician. They are a needle-felter and weaver. Jolisha has a small fiber farm in SW Detroit and is constantly trying to reimagine small-scale textile production. They use their art-making and the research processes/material exploration that go into it to explore belonging and foster a deeper understanding of the planet and their place on it.

ARTISTIC PROJECTS AND EXHIBITIONS

Fiber Arts Fest, Lawrence Street Gallery | Featured Artist (2023)

Small Works, Maine Street Gallery | Featured Artist (2023)

Faster Horses, Live Nation | Art Tent Lead (2023, 2024)

Suboart Magazine | Featured Fiber Artist (October 2024 Issue)

Vocalist and Songwriter | Blacker Face, WARMTH, Atta Boi, and other musical projects, performing in regional venues and festivals.

L.A. Studio & ART14 Residency | Ten-day artist residency focused on community-engaged fiber practice and cross-cultural artistic exchange.

Culture Source Arc Fund | Recipient in 2025

BIPOC Fiber Artist Meetup | Host (Year of 2025)

Chicago Public Library | Led community fiber workshop and exhibited work connecting traditional techniques with contemporary social themes (Spring 2025)

Arts and Scraps | Workshop Host (Spring 2025)

Detroit Fiber Festival | Participant (September 2025)

TEXTURIZER | Featured Artist in Exhibition (February 2026)

Ceramics X Fiber | Featured Artist in Collaboration with willie oof (Spring 2026)

Slow Stitch | Sustainable Maker Fellow (2026)

Detroit Artist Market | Featured Artist (2027)

Michigan Fiber Shed | Flax to Linen Project (Summer 2026)

RustBelt Fiber Shed | One Year One Outfit Cohort 4 (2026/2027)

John C Campbell Folk School | Tradition craft mentorship scholarship recipient (Summer 2026)

Congregation | Workshop Series Host (2026)

Detroit Month of Design | A Fiber Experience: Process, Time, Memories, Repeat workshop series

Detroit Community Dye Vat Project

House of Tarot X Mad Arts | Featured Artist