L i s J o h n s o n
S c u l p t o r
Lis has been a full-time professional sculptor since 1990. She has formal
training in art history, theory, research and practice, has taught sculpture at tertiary
level and exhibited in numerous group, solo and selected exhibitions, has been awarded several public art commissions and completed many private commissions.
Primarily a modeller and carver, Lis is a figurative sculptor who works
with a wide range of contemporary and traditional media.
A refined aesthetic sensibility is matched with technical skill to produce work which captures the subtle physical details and essence of human life and the natural world. Commissioned work often utilises her ability to faithfully render reality, while original sculpture extends into the conceptual realm.
Her broad range of practice has included work for architects and designers, museums and zoos, and the display, theatre and film industries. Her skills are often sought and employed by other artists – as studio and research assistant to sculptor Louis Laumen, and translating concepts into 3-dimensions for artists whose medium is painting/photography/ceramics.
Bachelor of Arts - Melbourne University 1980-83 (Fine Arts double major)
Bachelor of Creative Arts - University of Wollongong 1984-86 (Sculpture major ‘with distinction’)
Lecturer, Media Studies (3-dimensional), College of Fine Arts, University of NSW, 1987-90
Commissions include:
Relief panels for La Farge Fondu Australia and France, 1992.
Stanwell Park Recreation Reserve Mural Sculpture, NSW, 1993.
The Illawarra Memorial Coalmining Sculpture, 1994.
Bev Rigby Memorial Sculpture, 1995.
Cadbury/Schweppes ‘Mark of the Year’ AFL trophy, 1998, 1999.
‘Penguin family’, Wyndham City Council, Aquatic centre, 1999.
Leadbeaters Possums, Healesville Sanctuary
Temple Relief Sculptures, Elephant exhibit, Melbourne Zoo
O’Neill Family Memorial, Springvale Necropolis, 2001
Bronze child portrait ‘Zoe’, private commission, 2002
Track Narrative, Watusi Cow Carcass, ‘Lions on the Edge’, Werribee Open Range Zoo, 2003
2 life-sized figures for Jan Nelson, painter, 2004
The Vietnam War Memorial in Victoria, Dandenong RSL, 2004
John Gorton Portrait bust, Malvern Library Garden, 2004-5
Archetypal female series, bronze figurines, 2006-7
‘Millar’ art deco bronze and marble memorial, Melbourne Cemetery, 2007-8
‘The Great Mark’, lifesized AFL sculpture, MCC Sports Museum, 2008
‘Love and Action’, bronze commission for Star of the Sea College, Gardenvale, 2008
Lis is represented in Wollongong City Gallery and The University of Wollongong permanent collections in NSW, and her work can also be seen at The Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Wollongong Civic Plaza in NSW (Coalmining Memorial), the Melbourne Museum: Australian Gallery, Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo, Victoria’s Open Range Zoo, Werribee Aquatic Centre, Malvern Library Garden (Gorton portrait), Springvale Necropolis (O’Neill memorial), Melbourne Cemetery (Millar memorial).
Some of Lis’ bronze sculpture is available from Delshan Gallery, 1185 High St, Armadale, Vic.
Exhibitions include:
Three solo shows: Art Arena Gallery, Wollongong
Group shows: Art Arena Gallery, Long Gallery - University of Wollongong,
Gasworks Sculpture Park, Yarra Sculpture Gallery
Theme shows: Wollongong City Gallery, Kelly St Kollektiv, Sustainable Living Festival at Federation Square, Toyota Spirit Gallery
Selected shows: the Blake Prize 1988
the Sulman Prize 1993 (AGNSW), Toyota Indoor Outdoor Sculpture Award
Contact:
Phone/fax: 03 9314 5667 mobile: 0414 828 073
Email: lis_j@bigpond.com
c/o Fundere Studios, 1 Cromwell Pde, West Footscray, VIC, 3012.
