Sculptor, painter, public artist, illustrator, and textile artist Philippa Johnson was born in Sydney in 1961. After studying prehistory, archaeology, marine science, geology, philosophy and French for five years (1980-84) at the University of Sydney, she transferred to the East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School) to complete evening studies in fine arts, majoring in drawing and painting (1987-91).
Johnson closely observes her environment and, when using ink and pencil on paper, manipulates varying line weights, delicate washes and flowing ink forms to enliven her landscapes. Johnson’s drawings and paintings display a strong linear quality which is also evident in her sculpture, testifying to the extent to which one medium influences the other in her work. Her studio in the Blue Mountains (west of Sydney), in which much of her experimentation takes place, overlooks a valley that is abundant in natural and inspiring forms.
Johnson has undertaken a number of significant public art commissions in various local government areas in the western suburbs of Sydney, particularly in Fairfield. Fairfield City Council has an integrated public art program linking landscape, health and community services. Johnson and her partner, Henryk Topolnicki, have worked on a timber and metal gateway project for Fairfield Showground Entrance (2005), as well as various works in metal for the Bareena Street Park in Canley Vale (2002), and play elements at Prout Park, Mount Pritchard, all in the greater Fairfield City Council area. The artists place a high value on a process that includes historical research and landscape study to inform their sculptures, some of which double as public amenities such as seats, handrails and interpretive signage. These concerns also inform outdoor screens and mobiles (2005) and sculptural bench and seating elements (2006) for Narellan Library, as well as an interpretive piece, The Cowpastures Story (2005) for Narellan Rotary, in Camden City Council.
Johnson and Topolnicki established Art.is.an Option in 1996, a partnership that has often worked with landscape architects and local councils to create art pieces strongly integrated into natural environment. Typically Art.is.an Option makes large sculptural works in fabricated steel and other metals, with the often delicately-rendered botanical, entomological and fauna forms reflecting both Johnson’s research into local wildlife and habitats and her fine drawing style. Inversions of scale play an important role with, for example, gigantic bees (Leioproctus flavorufus) and wolf spiders incorporated into a maze or park setting acting as surprising and playful elements as well as celebrating local creatures particular to the area. Art.is.an Option’s private commissions for seats, balustrades, screen doors and other amenities help to financially underpin the public artwork of the company.
In 2008, Johnson began working as a studio assistant to Terrance Plowright, an arrangement that allows her to employ the skills she developed as an independent artist and collaborative practitioner in new areas of creative endeavour.
- Writers:
- Yeoland, Frances
Note: Student in Bachelor of Design at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales between 2005/2008
De Lorenzo, Catherine
- Date written:
- 2008
- Last updated:
- 2011
