Johanna Zeelenberg was born in the north-west mining town of Wittenoom in 1973, and has lived in Kalgoorlie, Kalamunda and now Chidlow. She has been painting and drawing most of her life, exhibiting in group shows for the past 25 years. As a child, she remembers often using fallen branches from ghost gums and drawing into the Pilbara red dirt, making marks using feathers, leaves and creek bed stones to form rhythmic patterns that echo the landscape and the living creatures that cling to it. These early experiences continue to influence her artistic process, and now, living in the Mundaring Hills, she is inspired to draw from the local environment. "My landscapes are sometimes ambiguous, dream-like places that seem to have amalgamated from the places that I have lived and travelled to". Johanna also likes to paint larger abstract work from smaller detailed studies of plants, animals, and the earth.

Artist Medium & Technical Process

"I work mainly with acrylic and/or oil paint. Sometimes to develop a surface I will use a little modeling compound or drawing into/with gesso. This suits my pursuit of surface quality, fluidity of line and glazing effects. My response to the environment may also involve mark-making of gluing, fraying, scratching and carving onto canvas or board. I work on strong cradled panels or on canvas or linen for larger work. These techniques allow me to express how life can be delicate, ancient, determined and fossilised, with every little detail relying on other little details to hold its own, to exist."

Curriculum Vitae

Education:
2007 - 2009 Swan Tafe Midland, Units of Advanced Diploma of Environmental Art and Design. Teachers: Peter Dailey, Stuart Elliot Part-time study. Units: Painting, Drawing, Wood, Metal, Fibre, Sculpture, Ceramics, Digital photography1999 - 2004 Swan Tafe Midland, Night classes: Drawing, Painting, Teacher: Russell Bell1998 Swan Tafe Midland, Advanced Certificate of Art and Design (Fine Art) Subjects: Ceramics, Textiles, Design, Drawing, Painting, Art History Teacher: Russell Bell
Solo Exhibitions: 2021 - 2024 - Mundaring Hills Open Studio Events 2010 “Essence” Solo exhibition, Mundaring Art Centre
Invitation Group Exhibitions: 2023 Juniper Galleries – “Carnivale” 2023 Juniper Galleries – “Eden”2023 Amaroo Retreat – Featured Artist (2023 - 2024 - current)2023 Beelu Forrest Distillery – Featured Artist2022 Juniper Galleries - Lifeline 20 x 202021 Juniper Galleries – Lifeline 20 x 202007 Darlington Arts Festival – Lesser Hall Featured Artist2006 Mundaring Arts Centre Exhibition “Affordable Art Show”2005 Mundaring Arts Centre Exhibition: The Bush in My Backyard”
Awards:2024 Kalamunda Art awards – Overall Winner, Mixed Media2024 Beverly Art Awards – Highly Commended, Mixed Media2010 Chidlow Show – Winner, Painting2009 Darlington Arts Festival – Winner, Drawing2005 Baker’s Hill Art Awards – Highly Commended, Painting
Commissions & Collections:2024 “Archaea Rising” - Mixed Media Painting on Panel 1350 x 900 mm – Handmade paint using local earth pigments supplied by the client. – Commission, Private Collector2023 “Darling Range Ghost Gums” 900 x 45 mm on Panel– Commission, Private Collector2023 “Saplings In Gold II” 1350 x 105 mm on Panel– Commission, Masonic Care, Middle Swan Residential Care“Sunset At Lake Leschenaultia” 990 x 750 mm on Panel – Commission, Masonic Care, Middle Swan Residential Care 2023 “Daydreaming At Berry” (Berry Reserve) – Commission, Private Collector2023 “Cheeky Cocky” – Private Collector, Parliament House, Canberra2010 Works Selected for lease by the EMRC2002 “Marri Forrest” Swan TAFE, Midland*My Artworks are also in various private Collections around Australia and overseas
Johanna also regularly exhibits in many open art shows around Australia.