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New Zealand Artist E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 15 May 2008 00:03
SHIRLEY JOHNSON was born in Dunedin, New Zealand and now lives in Dublin. She began to draw at an early age, attended children’s art classes with the now-legendary New Zealand artist, Graeme Sydney and later studied life drawing. She began to paint while living in London in the late 1960s and took it up again after moving to Ireland.

shirley1.jpgShe still attends Brushstrokes Art School and Shirley is fascinated by patterns in nature – the sweep of clouds across an early morning sky, sunlight on the sea, undulating hills, rows of pumpkins in a field - and by man-made patterns, too – washing flapping on a line, chairs in sunshine. Shirley is also affected by the emotional intensity of colour. The high blue skies of New Zealand, the sun-bleached golden hills of Central Otago, the brightly painted fishing boats of Portugal, luscious apricots in a silver bowl.
Like many artists, Shirley is drawn to the landscapes of her youth and in particular, the harsh bright sharp-etched vistas of Central Otago, which she often paints. Her extensive travels inspire her work too and she has produced canvases depicting scenes from Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Australia, California, France, Spain, Fuerteventura, Malta, the Cook Islands and Croatia. She also paints around Ireland and is particularly moved by the lonely hills and soft grey skies of Connemara. Shirley paints portraits, as well, mainly on commission.
Shirley paints mainly in oils and acrylics, although she has also worked in watercolours and pastels. She has had one exhibition in Dublin and is working on another. Her work will shortly be available in The People’s Art Hall, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre

To view more of  Shirley's work click here