Jac Johnson and Patricia Paxson Johnson began their partnership more than sixteen years ago by creating reproductions of southern decoys under the name of Back Bay Decoys and quickly established a loyal following with both decoy dealers as well as collectors. Completely self taught in several disciplines, Jac and Patricia expanded their repertoire to folk art carvings and home accessories.

 

Jac attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA., majoring in business and economics; while Patricia dedicated her higher education to art.  Both left school early to pursue art professionally; and started their collaboration by marketing their antique reproduction decoys directly to galleries and stores.  Over the last decade and a half their work has been sold in forty different states and four different countries – and clients include Senators, professional Athletes and Fortune 500 companies.  Pieces have been featured in magazines ranging from Architectural Digest to Country Living, and their commercial work has received distinction from the Society of Environmental Design.

 

 

Their work is essentially an outgrowth of their lifestyle – grounded in American tradition but thoroughly infused with modern nods to technology and progress. A piece of their work may start with a hand sketch, reworked digitally for scale or size, but will finish under careful consideration of where each knife and chisel mark will make the most impact. Hand working, with traditional tools and techniques proven by time, ensure a true melding of the old with the new.