In the Studio with Diana Antohe and Louise Mouton Johnson
New Orleans-based textile artists Louise Mouton Johnson and Diana Antohe discuss their practices in a studio visit with Sherae Rimpsey. Mouton Johnson, a native of New Orleans, creates quilts from scraps and found materials, often referencing family, African sculpture, and Catholic imagery. Her works like 'Church Window, I' (2003) and 'Blue Stripes' (2025) employ appliqué, quilting, and indigo. Antohe, born in Romania and raised in Texas, embeds Romanian and English text in cross-stitch pieces on Aida fabric, exploring themes of translation, opacity, and memory. Works such as 'țin mult la tine, te țin la mine' (2021) and 'Mă repet — cu drag, cu drag' (2025) feature layered patterns from her grandmother's home. The conversation touches on materiality, ritual, and the generative nature of their textile practices.
Key facts
- Louise Mouton Johnson and Diana Antohe are New Orleans-based textile artists.
- Mouton Johnson was born and raised in New Orleans; Antohe was born in Romania and moved to Texas as a child.
- Mouton Johnson's work includes 'Church Window, I' (2003) and 'Blue Stripes' (2025).
- Antohe's works include 'țin mult la tine, te țin la mine' (2021) and 'Mă repet — cu drag, cu drag' (2025).
- The interview was conducted by Sherae Rimpsey.
- Mouton Johnson uses scraps, denim, and indigo, often from family clothing.
- Antohe uses Aida cross stitch fabric and embeds text in Romanian and English.
- The conversation was edited for length and clarity.
Entities
Artists
- Louise Mouton Johnson
- Diana Antohe
- Sherae Rimpsey
Institutions
- Burnaway
Locations
- New Orleans
- Louisiana
- Romania
- Texas
- Senegal
Sources
- Burnaway —