Vale Ingrid Johnstone

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Ingrid Johnstone, Cache, 2006, Diptych, oil on linen, 168x203cm

Ingrid Johnstone, 9th February 1941 – 31st May 2020

Ingrid was born in Hamburg, Germany and came to Australia in 1962. She studied at East Sydney Tech (National Art School) from 1980 to 1982 Post and achieved Higher Certificates in Painting and Printmaking.

Ingrid completed her Post-Graduate Diploma in Professional Studies at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales in 1983.

Ingrid joined Sydney Printmakers in the early 80’s, and was a member for over a decade, exhibiting with us both locally and internationally.

Her passion for print making was transferred to her students in her teaching. She formed the group Open Bite 1991 to encourage her students at Ku-ring-gai Art Centre to excel in their printmaking endeavours. This group still exists today – https://www.openbiteprintmakers.org/

Ingrid Johnstone’s energy, zest for life and extensive travel is experienced in her art.  

Ingrid Johnstone’s abstract paintings, imbued with gestural energy, capture the essence of colours that tickle our senses – the contours and shapes of the forms are distinctive with a broad spectrum of colours from mouth-watering magenta, pineapple yellow, sublime aquamarine, cobalt and turquoise blues and candied greens.

In her paintings, her great passion, thick, thin, muted textural, smooth, tonal, luscious, dotted, sprayed, and dripped. Above all her work is very painterly.

Ingrid Johnstone has marvelled at the patience of weavers labouring at the looms in Morocco and the cloths in India, Burma and the Iban people in Sarawak. Her imagery was fired by the Dogon tribes in Africa and the textiles in Peru. She structures the repetitive horizontal and vertical weavings of the threads into her own symbolic patterns. She transcends her imagery into her own landscapes.

Ingrid Johnstone, Ship Ahoi! at the Loo, 1987

Vale Bernhardine Mueller by Karen Ball and Denise Scholz Wulfing

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Vale Bernhardine Mueller

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Bernhardine Mueller, who passed away in December 2019, is fondly remembered by the printmaking community as an inspirational artist, generous teacher, colleague and dear friend. She had the ability to inspire and nurture creativity in others while pursuing her own artistic journey. Each of her students received individual attention and art colleagues knew she was always available as a friendly, supportive listener. Bernhardine was a friend to so many people in numerous printmaking areas.

Bernhardine established the printmaking studio at Ku Ring Gai Art Centre and Lane Cove Centre House and taught at both for many years. As one of her students at KAC in 1990, I(Karen)was immediately enveloped in the warm, friendly atmosphere she created. Many of those students became lifelong friends of Bernhardine. She was very involved in Lane Cove Art Society winning many awards from there and other competitions for her prints, miniatures and artist books.

 Bernhardine also held numerous workshops throughout NSW and Queensland, in particular  Gunnedah and Mitchell School of Arts, Bathurst. These workshops introduced students to printmaking and became the foundation for burgeoning art careers. For many years Bernhardine enjoyed a creative partnership with teachers and secondary school students  in the art studios at Masada College, one of whom was chosen for HSC Art Express exhibition.

As a long term member of Sydney Printmakers, Bernhardine instigated and participated in many exhibitions. She always welcomed and supported new members. Similarly, Bernhardine was a long time, loved member of The Australian Society of Miniature Art. Her dedication to printmaking endured even as she became increasingly unwell. Bernhardine curated an exhibition at Orange Regional Gallery in 2018 with a group of fellow printmaker colleagues connected by their use of Richard Swinburne’s etching presses.  She continued to show her work in Sydney Printmakers and other group shows into 2019. 

Bernhardine was a printmakers’ printmaker. Experimenting with the technique, over printing with multiple blocks, reprinting the same plate many times in different colours, collaging, cropping, hand-colouring, for ever on the search for the best result for that particular print. Her wit, humour and purposeful use of mixed metaphors for dramatic effect were very funny.  This humour and love of words came out in her miniature etchings, playing on words, sayings and gently poking fun at people, society and art.

Bernhardine shared a love of Australian flora and fauna with me (Denise). This constant source of inspiration, in particular a love of birds, meant we exchanged sightings on Brush Turkey behaviour, Currawong antics, Magpie carols and the amazing character of the White Winged Choughs at her beloved son Michael’s place in the Capertee Valley.

It was an honour to know Bernhardine. Her life was full and creative but she always had time for her many friends. She seemed to know when someone needed encouragement or some words of wisdom.  We will miss her but her light will shine on through all those she inspired.