Johnson is a student affairs officer in the architecture and urban design department
Verlena Johnson Avishay Artsy |
February 25, 2021
Architecture and urban design students at UCLA know Verlena Johnson as an academic adviser and student affairs officer, who helps them balance their course loads and makes sure they have the credits to graduate.
But outside of her day job, Johnson is a mixed-media visual artist who creates vivid acrylic and watercolor paintings filled with symbolism. She has a spiritual practice that incorporates Reiki and meditation, has published a children’s book starring her 11-year-old son, Kai, and has been active in promoting diversity on college campuses.