John Wolseley is one of Australia’s most important artists. He portrays the Australian landscape and its ecosystems from the roots of a tree to a whole floodplain; from trees, birds and fish to a tiny beetle.
Using a variety of techniques, he says he creates a kind of inventory or document of the state of the earth, revealing both the energy and beauty of it. To do that he physically immerses himself in nature, spending long periods at a time camping and observing the country from Tasmania to central Australia to Arnhem land.
Wolseley has had over 25 solo shows and the exhibition Midawarr | Harvest is currently travelling around the country. It is a collection of his works and those of aboriginal elder Mulkun Wirrpanda with whom he has developed a special bond over many years.
His work is held in most important Australian art institutions and of course many private collections.
But probably the most interesting part of our conversation is where he talks about literally collaborating with nature to produce his work.
To hear the podcast interview press ‘play’ below the feature photo above.
A short video with audio of John talking about his work and video of his Australian Galleries show can be seen on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel and is also below.
Current and upcoming events:
- ‘Midawarr | Harvest: the Art of Mulkun Wirrpanda and John Wolseley‘, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, opening 4 August 2018
- ‘The Great Beetle Show‘, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, October 2018
Show notes:
- John Wolseley
- John Wolseley at Australian Galleries
- John Wolseley at Roslyn Oxley 9 Gallery
- Nomad Art Gallery
- Mulkun Wirrpanda at Nomad Art Gallery
- Midawarr|Harvest: The art of Mulkun Wirrpanda and John Wolseley – National Museum of Australia
- Jakob von Uexküll
- Seamus Heaney
- Heartlands and Headwaters, exhibition by Wolseley at the National Gallery of Victoria
- Lloyd Rees
- William Blake
- John Wolseley talking about watercolour on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel
‘Distant glimpses of the great floodplain seen through a veil of trees and hanging vines’ 2017, watercolour, graphite and colour pencil, ink, oil paint, dry pastel, abrasion, scratching out and nature printing, with collages of frottage, wood relief, linocut and intaglio, printed Japanese tissue papers on woven paper, 10m in length.
‘Buwakul climbing a tree beside the flood plain on Garranari’ 2016, watercolour graphite and rakushuishi atsukuchi (Japanese tissue), 222 x 140cm
‘Insect life stories No 14: Kamarooka grey box beetle’ 2017, three relief print from found wood, chine-collé over watercolour, edition 10, 53cm x 28cm
‘Beetles in the salt – Lake Tyrrell’ 2014 – 18, watercolour and etching on paper, 130 x 220cm
‘Ephemeral water with new growth – Murray-Sunset National Park’ (2009 – 2012), collection of National Gallery of Victoria, watercolour, charcoal and pencil, main panel 153.4 x 327cm sheet,
Maria I really enjoyed this conversation you had with John. I had to keep replaying parts to jot down his wonderful analogy of nature & why he makes art. Thank you.
So great to hear that Rosie! Thanks for listening 🙂 Maria
thankyou for this great interview. I had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful exhibition in Canberra early this year. What a delightful bonus to hear John speak about it months later whilst working in my own studio home here in Perth. The insights he gave into collaborating with the landscape really struck a chord.
I would have loved to have seen the exhibition! Hopefully I can catch it as it travels around the country. Thanks for listening Wendy. Maria 🙂
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Thank you Maria for these amazingly inspiring podcasts, particularly enjoyed John Wolseley…..it’s funny Instagram makes me want to give up my art…….. listening to your interviews makes it hard for me to conceive of doing anything else with my life.
Karen 😀🎨
PS Sorry my message got confused with another persons email
Thanks for that Karen! – I know what you mean about John – he inspires me too 🙂 Maria
Oh my what a glorious conversation!! Love his sense of humour and his sense of ease with you Maria, well done, your interviews are always an inspiring delight!
Thank you so much for spending your time talking with all of these artists, it’s so precious to gain an insight into their practice and the way they approach their lives and art.
Thanks so much for listening Rachel. Glad you enjoyed it! Maria
Maria, this was one of my favourite artists to listen too on your podcasts. John Wolsely’s practices are amazing, leaving the paper in the environment for a year, plus, the references to Uexkull’s ‘umwelt’ etc and collaborating with nature. I went to visit his studio in Kangaloon a few years ago, he is so inspirational. I love all of your interviews, thanks for bringing them to us, Xanga
Thanks so much for that lovely comment Xanga. He sure is inspirational. Someone recently commented on Facebook that he made her see nature in a different way and I think he’s had that effect on me too! Maria 🙂