Shannon Johnson

I have been painting and exhibiting for the last 18 years. After completing an Advanced Diploma of Fine Arts at Meadowbank TAFE in 1998, I went to COFA and graduated with 1st class Honours in 2001. During this period, I became involved with artist run initiatives around the Chippendale in Sydney, and developed a strong DIY sensibility that has become ingrained in every aspect of my practice. In 2005 I began a Masters with a focus on the ‘low arts’, found material and graffiti. During this research I was awarded a 3 month residency in Paris which opened up new ideas about language and text. This began annual trips overseas to collaborate with new networks growing all over the world. In 2007 I graduated from Masters and had a solo exhibition at Titanik Gallery in Turku, Finland based around the themes of my Masters research. In 2009 I worked in Indonesia with the Gang collective exhibiting and running workshops for the ‘Festival Mata Air’ In 2014 exhibited on Governers Island in New York with collage artists and also helped to bring a collage group to Sydney for a group exhibition.

My work has been informed by the visual information of the city streets, from graffiti, advertisements, to deco tiles on shop fronts, and peeling paint...

Master of Fine Art, COFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts- 1st class honours, COFA
Advanced Diploma, Meadowbank TAFE

Selected Exhibiting History
Solo
2017- October, ‘Its Out Of My Hands’, 107 Projects
2015 February - ‘Stick Together’, Stur Gallery Braidwood
2014 March - ‘Somewhere We Are Still Together’, Chrissie Cotter, Camperdown
2013 September - 'Magic Lemonade', Since I Left You, Sydney CBD
2012 November- ‘Wasnt That Something’, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney CBD
2011 November- ‘Between The Sky & The Ground’, B.S.G, Melbourne
2010 September - 'Cats & Ladders', Alpha Gallery, Erskineville
2009 December, concluding project for Artist-in-Residency, S.N.O, Marrickville
2007 October - ‘Omen Wallpaper’, Titanik Gallery, Turku, Finland
February - ‘Omen Wallpaper’, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
2006 June - ‘Lucky Draw’, M.A.D Gallery, Enmore, Sydney
May - ‘Little Breaks’, Sheffer Gallery, Darlington, Sydney
2005 November - ‘Shoes and Booze’, Paris, France

Group Shows
2017 April- ‘Shack Life’, Hazelhurst Gallery
2016 February-‘You’re Invited’, Watters Gallery
January- ‘Blake Prize’ finalists exhibition, Casula Powerhouse
2015 August- ‘Sweet Tribology, Spain
April- ‘Either Way’, 107 Gallery, Redfern
March- ‘Living Heritage”, Hazelhurst Gallery
January- ‘Brooklyn Vs Sydney’ ...