Lesley Johnson is a former NYC-based designer and skilled artisan specializing in custom handmade signage, interior decorative painting, gold gilding, and calligraphy for hospitality, retail, and residential clients. With a versatile portfolio, she has collaborated independently and with top art directors and agencies on projects for renowned names such as The Chelsea Hotel, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, The Plaza Hotel, The Four Seasons Hotel, A. Lange & Söhne, and Major Food Group’s Santina, Parm, Dirty French, and Sadelle's. Her clientele also includes leading restaurant and hospitality groups, packaging designers, and independent businesses in NYC and internationally.
Over her career, Lesley has created more than 500 custom pieces. Her PLANTER font won an Award of Excellence from Communication Arts Magazine, and her work has been featured over a dozen times on Adobe’s Behance, the leading online portfolio platform for creative professionals.
Paintings
Lesley returned to painting in 2024. Her work has been described as sublime, evocative, and alive—reminiscent of William S. Turner and Canadian/American painters Richard Hambleton (specifically his 'Beautiful Paintings') and David Bierk. Since returning to Sackville in November of 2025, she has embraced the artistic influences of the Mount Allison community, continuing to create work inspired by John Hammond and Ethel Ogden, among others.
Her painting approach combines study and spontaneity, inviting the viewer to experience a personal connection with the work. Her process creates a space where timelines are blurred, inter-dimensionality is explored, and new ways of seeing are offered.
After 15 years in NYC, she has returned to her hometown in New Brunswick, Canada. Her paintings have been acquired by numerous private collectors and public institutions, including The Chelsea Hotel. Lesley's artwork has been exhibited multiple times at Van der Plas Gallery on NYC’s Lower East Side, and is currently represented by Fog Forest Gallery in Sackville, NB.