- Art Collection Updates
- Works of Art
- Yvonne Audette, Sun's Rebirth
- G W Bot Hieroglyphs (Requiem)
- Arthur Boyd
- Alexander Boynes: Changing Places
- Robert Boynes, Observer and Observed
- Robert Boynes, Those Lifeless things
- Jan Brown, Magpies
- Hilary Crawford, Sugar Town and other works
- Fred Cress A Hidden Place
- Ray Crooke , The Islanders & Girl at Table
- Ante Dabro Reclining Figure
- Greg Daly Dawn & Dusk
- Neville Dawson: Dr Tom Calma
- Diane Firth, Bimbimbie
- Graham Fransella, Figure in the Sand
- Sally Gabori My Country
- Bernard Hardy, Canberra Series
- Bernard Hardy, Woolwinder
- Libby Hathorn by Myriam Kin-Yee
- Bevan Haywood Final Showdown
- Napanangka Katungka Kutjarr Kunya at Intinti
- Dale Huddleston, Mural
- Michael Johnson Ellamatta Mauve
- Abie Loy Kemarre Bush Medicine Leaf Dreaming
- Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Untitled, Awelye
- Warren Langley, The Collective Memory
- Doug Lawrie, Untitled Round Vase
- Michael Le Grand, Yo-yo.
- Sue Lovegrove: Vanishing #352
- Tim Maguire, Untitled
- Queenie McKenzie Mooloogoor Hills
- Ann Marie McMahon, The Two Walyers
- Sally Morgan The Circle and other works
- Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarii: Water Soakages near Nyrripi
- Walangkura Napanangka Kutungka Napanangka at Papunga
- Trevor Nickolls, Bird
- Sir Sydney Nolan: Night and Desert Landscapes
- Tiger Palpatja Wanampi Tjukurpa
- Ningura Papurrula Women's Ceremonies
- Peter Pedriau, Coverer in Yellow
- Minnie Pwerle, Women's Ceremonies
- William Robinson , Twin Falls
- Darby Jampijimpa Ross: Emu & Water Jukurrpa
- Tom Rowney, Black, White and Grey Merletto Bowl
- William Sandy, Bush Bean Dreaming
- Jörg Schmeisser, Here and Now, Echoes of the Past
- Brian Seidel, Autumn Pond and Tropical Pond
- Michael Taylor, Showers
- Imants Tillers: Home Visitation III
- Freddie Ngarrmaliny Timms, Mud Springs
- Mykal Zschech, various works
- Agni Klintuni Boedhihartono Mural paintings
- David Voigt Ravenhill Gate and other works
- George Gittoes, The Henna Tattoo
- Sydney Nolan: Mask VIII
- Judith Clingan, Shearing Top Naas
- Eris Fleming, Hillside Paddock
- GW Bot, Threnody
- Ante Dabro, Untitled Drawings
- Robin Nelson Drawings
- Colin Jordan, Intruder
- Stan De Teliga, Kydra River
- Dianne Firth, Black Opal
- Jack Featherstone, Alpine Ash Bark Painting
- Karla Dickens Second Skin
- One by Geoffrey Drake-Brockman
- Sculpture 19 by Derek F Wrigley
- Robin White wood cut series
- Graham Eadie,, Various works
- Peter Laverty, Seascape
- Paul Cavell, Postcard Incident
- Frank Hodgkinson, Black Cockatoo
- Brian Hirst Flat form Teal
- Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri Marrawa
- Tommy Watson, Untitled, 2013 & 2016
- Sándor Györfi, Ignaz Semmelweis sculplture
- Jimmy Baker, Kalaya Tjukurpa
- Ian Henderson, Where is your heart and other works
- Maringka Baker: Kalinpil
- David Miller: Inarki
- Robert Hannaford, Jean Blackburn
- Elizabeth Kruger: Blushing Banksias
- David Armfield, Morris's Vineyard
- Cecily Gibson, Untitled Stoneware Bowl
- George Baldessin, Ed25 & Untitled works
- Andrew Sibley, The Trolley Pushers and other works
- Keith Looby, Packaged Landscape
- David Rose- Magpie in Orange Tree
- Unknown artist: Japanese Wedding Kimono
- Salvatore Zofrea, Various Works of Art
- Basil Hadley: Over Under the Trees
- Dacre Henry Deudreath Smyth: Towards Captains Flat
- Nancy Parker, Main Street, Braidwood
- John Coburn, Various Works
- Geoffrey De Groen: Untitled
- Kenneth Jack: Normanton Station
- Elizabeth Rooney: Various Drawings
- Frances Jones: Still life works
- Margaret Olley: Interior
- Colin Moyston: Victoria Line
- Sven Hiroe: Various ceramic works
- Keiko Schmeisser: In the Fold and Stellar Reflections
- Les Blakebrough: In the Long Grass with Claudia Rose
- Anne Greenwood Untitled
- Bea Maddock Square II
- David Lu Spring Melody
- Cedric Flower Cooma Cottage and other works of art
- Sam Herman Red and Yellow Glass Vases
- Graham Kuo Harbour Mist and other Works
- David Schlunke Air
- Gillie and Marc: Love the Last Exhibition
- John Santry, Geese at Hill End
- Arthur Wicks, Stretcher
- Owen Piggott, Rock Platform
- Robert Pengiley, Various Works
- Heather Ellyard, Dust Storm
- Maximillian Feuering, Bellevue Hill Park
- William Fletcher, Banksia
- Richard and Dilys Brecknock, Various works
- Dick Roughsey, Various works
- Fred Jessup, Boats and Shells
- Jean Conron, Flower Study
- Kevin Conner, Self Portrait with Bird and other Works
- Charles Blackman, The Girl with Dark Plaits
- Reg Livermore: Hydrangea
- Frank Knight Red Kangaroo
- Brian Dunlop Various Works
- Dennis Baker, Kimberley
- Ronnie Tjampitinpa: Untitled
- Art Collection Management
- UC Website
- About UC
- Art Collection
- Works of Art
- Michael Johnson Ellamatta Mauve
Michael Johnson Ellamatta Mauve
Michael Johnson, Ellamatta Mauve
The Artist
Born in 1938, in Mosman Sydney, Michael Johnson grew up surrounded by art. Both his parents were artists and the family home was decorated with reproductions of Vermeer and Albert Pinkham Ryder. It was one of Ryder's works, Toilers of the Sea, that inspired Michael the most and can be seen in many of his pictures. Between 1953 and 1959, Johnson studied art firstly at the Julian Ashton art School, Sydney and the National Art School gaining a diploma of Art. During this time, he also made close associations with another Sydney artist, to make a name for himself, Brett Whitely. The two artists subsequently met up again in Florence, Italy, as Johnson was travelling to England to study and work in 1960. Johnson went onto live in London for seven years working as a studio assistant for British Sculptors, Brian Wall and Anthony Caro.(2). He also made associations with other leading artists such as Frances Bacon and David Hockney. Johnson was also inspired by Matisse, Constantin Brancusi and Albert Albers and it could be said that his European experiences led to Johnson's love of colour so prominent in his works of art. Much like the spirit of the time, Johnson's work favoured abstractionism, deliberately avoiding any clear form or gesture yet with his own Australian interpretation. Johnson returned to Sydney in 1967, launching his first exhibition at Gallery A, entitled Two Generations of American Painting. This was followed by 'The Field' held at the National Gallery Victoria, the following year. In the catalogue for Two Generations, Patrick McCaughey wrote Johnson's distinctness 1970, Johnson moved to work in New York where according to Art Series Hotels, he gradually embraced more surface texture and a palette that became identifiable with a bush spectrum. By 1979, Johnson was back in Australia where the environment and ecology provided a major influence on his work. Even the minutest detail was absorbed into his works- the colours of bird feathers, patterns on butterfly wings, fish bones and reptile scales and even how the light shines off the surface of the water.
As well as lecturing and teaching art in a number of notable schools and colleges, Johnson also took up residencies at the University of Melbourne and the Ian Joyce Foundation Studio, Sydney. Between 1996 and 2002, Johnson again travelled around Europe with a 3 month residency at La Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris. In 2014, Michael won the Wynne Prize with a work entitled Oceania High Low at the Art Gallery of NSW. He lives and works in Paddington, Sydney.
The Work of Art
According to the Sherman Galleries, Michael Johnson's work is marked by a metaphysical orchestration of colour and a muscularity of presence. His works belie a relationship with nature, natural process and mood. Again, the works are abstract, with no emphasis of definable form. The work is so vibrant and deliberate with its execution that the work could be compared to other abstract works, most notably Jackson Pollock's blue poles. What do you think?
References:
McCulloch Alan & Susan ed. The Encyclopedia of Australian Art, 1994, Allen & Unwin, Sydney. p363
Art Series Hotels, http://www.artserieshotels.com.au/johnson/michael-johnson/
Artists profile, http://www.artistprofile.com.au/michael-johnson/
Sherman Galleries, http://shermangalleries.sherman-scaf.org.au/artists/inartists/artist_profile.asp$Fartist=johnsonm