It is my dream to one day establish a contemporary sculpture park here in the beautiful Elysian Falls valley. I spent my early childhood growing up wild on a farm nearby in the lush green hills of Maleny, QLD. My backyard was the beautiful Obi Obi Creek and its many waterfalls, swimming holes and rockpools. The freedom and practical independence of this childhood has shaped me as an adult and runs deep through my artistic practice.

After finishing my Psychology degree in the early 1990’s I spent many years traveling internationally before I completed my Bachelor of Fine Art through the Queensland College of Art in 2000. I returned home to Australia permanently in 2005 and have spent the years since practicing as a full time professional artist.

I am passionate about the interactivity and tactility of the sculptural installation. My pieces comment on the contemporary human condition in a personal and sometimes confronting way. I use techniques of repetition and scale to reinforce my concepts, and always create with an inherent respect to the technical process of making.

I believe in the accessibility of art for all who encounter it, regardless of education or experience. I want my works to reach people. To make a difference. Every detail tells a story and casts light on a larger, more complex slice of this beautiful world we inhabit.

Handle with care
01
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23
Handle with care
I see the light
Wrong way go back
Wrong way go back
02
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23
Wrong way go back
Handle with care
White Noise
White Noise
03
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23
White Noise
Wrong way go back
To have and to hold
To have and to hold
04
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23
To have and to hold
White Noise
Time is money
Time is money
05
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23
Time is money
To have and to hold
Time Bomb
Time Bomb
06
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23
Time Bomb
Time is money
Accessory
Accessory
07
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23
Accessory
Time Bomb
In thine own image
In thine own image
08
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23
In thine own image
Accessory
Bag Snatcher
Bag Snatcher
09
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23
Bag Snatcher
In thine own image
ABC
ABC
10
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23
ABC
Bag Snatcher
A piece of furniture
A piece of furniture
11
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23
A piece of furniture
ABC
Bris Vegas
Bris Vegas
12
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23
Bris Vegas
A piece of furniture
Ghost
Ghost
13
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23
Ghost
Bris Vegas
The Bank
The Bank
14
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23
The Bank
Ghost
The Bank (Ants)
The Bank (Ants)
15
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23
The Bank (Ants)
The Bank
Old MacDonald
Old MacDonald
16
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23
Old MacDonald
The Bank (Ants)
No bed of roses
No bed of roses
17
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23
No bed of roses
Old MacDonald
Wasted
Wasted
18
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23
Wasted
No bed of roses
Preconception
Preconception
19
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23
Preconception
Wasted
Tie the knot
Tie the knot
20
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23
Tie the knot
Preconception
Reflection
Reflection
21
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23
Reflection
Tie the knot
Risk
Risk
22
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23
Risk
Reflection
I see the light
I see the light
23
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23
I see the light
Risk
Handle with care

ARTIST PROFILE

Catherine Wild (formerly: Johnston)

BORN:

1971 in Toowoomba, Queensland

EDUCATION:

1988 Dux, Maleny High School, QLD
1991 B.A. Psychology, UQ, QLD
2000 B. Fine Art, Sculpture/Intermedia, Awards for Academic Excellence in 1998, 1999 and 2000, QCA, QLD

EXPERIENCE:

2018 – Present Owner/Manager Elysian Falls, Flaxton QLD
2017 – Current Creative Director Secrets on the Lake Art Gallery, Montville QLD
2010 – Current Cath Johnston Sculpture
2005 – 2009 Montville Graphics, freelance Graphic Design and Sculpture, Montville, QLD
2000 – 2005 Alternarts Ltd, Freelance Graphic Design, UK. Clients – Vercase, Guess, BT, RNID.
1998 – 2000 Art Therapist, children’s weekend camps, CPLQ
1996 – 1998 Hard Pressed Pulp Company, handmade paper pulp collages
1991 – 1996 Extended travels – Australia, Asia, Africa, America, Europe and UK.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND RESIDENCIES:

2020 Aircrete Dome Build and large scale sculpture installation, Flaxton, QLD
2019 Artist in Residence – Secrets on the Lake Art Gallery, Montville, QLD
2018 Artist in Residence – Secrets on the Lake Art Gallery, Montville, QLD
2016 ‘Family Tree’ – Moyston Primary School
2015 ‘Pigs Can Fly’ – LEAP programme, Ballarat Art Gallery, VIC
2013 ”Recent Works’ – Artman Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2013 ‘Art under the floorboards’ – Ballarat Uniting Care resdiency programme
2012 ‘Under my skin’ – Ararat Regional Art Gallery, VIC
2012 ‘Missconceptions’ – Ballarat Art Gallery, VIC
2011 Rainbow Love – Courthouse Gallery, Geelong, VIC
2011 Rainbow Love – Stawell GCH, VIC
2011 ‘undercover’ – Trocadero ARI Footscray, VIC
2011 ‘static’ – Trocadero Billboard, Footscray, VIC
2011 Rainbow Love, Manuscript Room at Ballarat Art Gallery, VIC
2011 Backspace Arts Venue Residency, Ballarat, VIC
2011 ‘Rainbow Love’, Grampians Community Health, Stawell, VIC
2010 ‘Rainbow Love’, Ararat Regional Art Gallery, Ararat, VIC
2009 ‘Pulp’, Secrets Gallery, Montville, QLD

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2018 Sculpture on the Edge, Maleny QLD
2018 Queer Country, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2018 Secrets Art Gallery, Montville, QLD
2017 Queer Country, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2016 Resilience, Moyston Art Group Show, Moyston, VIC
2016 Queer Country, Dudley House, Bendigo, VIC
2016 Queer Country, Smith St Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne, VIC
2015 Bendigo Queer Art, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2014 Bendigo Queer Art, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2013 Midsumma Group Show, Melbourne, VIC
2013 ‘Enigma’ Photography Show – Artman Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2013 Bendigo Queer Art, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2012 Midsumma ‘Energy from Stillness’, Red Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2013 Collingwood Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2012 Midsumma ‘Reveal’, 1000£ Bend, Melbourne, VIC
2012 Bendigo Queer Art, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2012 Same Same but Different, WTC Atrium Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2011 Big and Bold Sculpture Exhibition, Substation, Footscray, VIC
2011 SUBspace project, Malop St, Geelong, VIC
2011 Bendigo Queer Art, La Trobe Gallery, Bendigo, VIC
2011 Convent Gallery, Daylesford, VIC
2011 ‘Textile’ Horsham Regional Art Gallery, VIC
2011 ‘Identity’, 45Downstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC
2004 ‘Women’s International’ Finalist, Westend Centre, Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
2002 ‘Neighbourhood Grafix’, Northampton, UK
1999 ‘Women in Art’, Montville Hall, Montville, QLD

GRANTS AND AWARDS:

2022 AirBNB OMG Fund Prize Winner
2015 Regional Arts Victoria Residency, Ballarat VIC
2012 Toyota Indoor Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition finalist, Port Melbourne, VIC
2012 Regional Arts Victoria Project Grant for the ‘Bagsnatcher’ installation
2011 Toyota Indoor Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition finalist, Port Melbourne, VIC
2011 Linden Postcard Exhibition, Finalist, St Kilda, VIC
2010 Regional Arts Quick Response Grant for ‘Rainbow Love/Tie the Knot’
2010 ‘Noosa 3D Travelling Scholarship’ Finalist, Noosa Regional Gallery, Tewantin, QLD
2010 ‘National Artworkers Award’ Finalist, Paddington, Brisbane, QLD
2010 ‘Churchie Emerging Artist Award’ Finalist, QCA Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2002 Best Sculpture, Neighbourhood Grafix, Northampton, UK
1999 & 1998 Academic Excellence Awards, Griffith University, QLD
1999 Peoples Choice & Best Sculpture Award, Women in Art, Montville, QLD
1999 ‘Artistcare Student Drawing Prize’ Finalist, QCA, Brisbane, QLD

COMMISSIONS:

2017 ‘On the Piste’, Grampians Petanque Club, Moyston, VIC
2016 ‘Country Rose’ and ‘Junior’, Secrets on the Lake, Montville, QLD
2015 ‘To Have and To Hold’, Secrets on the LAke, Montville, QLD
2011 Artlink LEAP project, Ballarat Art Gallery, VIC
2008 Mural, Palmwoods Aquatic Centre, QLD
2006 ‘Woman in Water’, Secrets on the Lake, Montville, QLD
2003 ‘Wrong Way, Go Back’, Neighbourhood, Northampton, UK
2000 ‘A Piece of the Puzzle’, CPLQ, QLD

COLLECTIONS AND REPRESENTATION:

Works held in Private Collections in the USA, Netherlands, UK, Bermuda and within public and private collections in Australia.