Looking for something creative? Need some stress relief?
Want to meet some great new Friends? Learn how to make
hand-built Pottery and Sculpture, even if you think you can’t!
Join A Class Today
Midge Johansen offers expert tuition in clay sculpture and
hand-built pottery with over 30 years teaching experience.
Day and Evening Classes
Beginners Welcome!
Clay & Mixed Media. All aspects of Glazing, Firing and Finishing.
All levels catered for from beginners to advanced.
MUDGEERABA Studio of THE SCULPTORS’ SOCIETY GOLD COAST INC.
Mudgeeraba Art & Crafts Historic Village, Mudgeeraba Rd (opposite Milky Way)
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY- 10AM TO 2PM (4HOURS)
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS - 7PM TO 10PM
MIDGE JOHANSEN – 55305348 or 0423835590
midgehelena@bigpond.com
Unique Commissions & One-Offs, Sculpture, Pottery, resin
casting, cold-cast bronze and Ceramic art made to order.
RAKU-FIRING and KILN FIRING SERVICE
Welcome to the wonderful world of hand-built clay pottery and sculpture!
Whether you are a total beginner or a veteran needing further skills and
encouragement, Midge will introduce you to the joy and stress-relief of making,
glazing and firing your own work, together with the benefits of meeting and
making new friends.
Winner of many local awards and prizes, Midge’s work is represented in the
permanent collection of the Queensland Art Gallery. Examples of Midge's work
may be viewed at www.sculptorsgoldcoast.org.au by clicking on the
Society's Photos link and selecting Midge Johansen.
Midge has a long history of teaching experience. After ten years with the
Victorian Education Department, Midge moved to the Gold Coast in 1980 to
pursue an interest in sculpture and writing (publications include: The Dinkum
Dictionary and The Penguin Book Of Australian Slang). After teaching the
sculpture course at Gold Coast T.A.F.E. for five years, she established classes in
clay sculpture and pottery in the Sculptors’ Society’s premises at Mudgeeraba
after it opened in 1990.
Midge continues to offer her expertise, skills and techniques to all levels.
Using an informal approach and atmosphere, students will learn and develop
clay hand-building techniques that will enable them to make and finish
pieces of their own choosing.
Depending on individual needs, students will be shown how to construct their
own sculptural or pottery works by hand using any of the following methods:
coil-building, slab-building, solid-modelling, press-moulding, and slip-casting.
Students can also learn how to make original moulds from original work.
Students will be shown how to decorate, glaze and fire sculpture and pottery,
and repair damaged or faulty pieces successfully (a natural part of clay sculpture).
With a large Raku kiln, the added excitements of Raku firings are
available. It is always stimulating to try something adventurous, and new
students may wish to try their hands at many of the activities on offer –
eg: making indoor or patio water-feature with flowing water and pump; outdoor
bird-bath sculpture; your very-own-design hand-made mosaic tiled artworks eg:
al-fresco table; combining sculpture with lighting (candles, citronella oils or
electric); plaster-casting; slip-casting, etc. Although Midge’s forte is with the
human figure for those whose interest lies in sculpting the human form, all styles
of sculpture are catered to - including contemporary and modern forms..
Classes continue for most of the year for as long as students need to attend. Due
to the differing abilities and requirements of everyone, there is no set course
for a set period of time. As classes are very popular, and class sizes &
availability are strictly limited according to studio space, preference will be given
to students attending on a relatively regular basis - however, Midge also
caters to students who want short-term specialised intensive learning sessions.
From beginners to advanced, students are tutored individually at whatever
level they are at. Beginners are invariably surprised and pleased with their
achievements in the first lesson. (Midge will not believe whatsoever any of the following:
“I can’t”; “I don’t have any talent or creativity”; “My efforts are not as good as someone else’s”!
The tuition fee per session is payable at each session together with your clay,
glaze and firing (cheques accepted). This fee entitles you to the free use of many
tools and products, equipment, moulds, and great sculpture library. A variety of
different clays can be purchased on site – you will learn what each one is best
used for. All glaze, stain, finishing products and tools are available for purchase
on site as required.
A full kiln-firing service is provided at a competitive rate for students- this is priced
by the weight of your pieces per kilo and these fees are posted on the notice-board in the studio
– some students build small – and some build HUGE, so these costs vary for students.
All students who are not members of the Sculptor’s Society are required to pay a
single annual fee of $15 to become annual Honorary Student Members of the
Society for the purposes of Public Liability Insurance.
Please note that all prices are subject to change at any time.
A large kiln capacity gives students the opportunity to make larger scale pots or
sculptures that are not often available elsewhere.
A very comprehensive library of sculpture and pottery books is available at the
studio for your use, together with many moulds and other equipment.
Tools required are minimal – you mainly use your hands. Don’t wear your best
clobber or jewellery – we like to get grubby! All tea/coffee/milk, sugar and cups
are provided at 50 cents per serve. We have magnificent lunches – everyone
brings a cheese, dip, deli item etc. to add to a shared buffet.
CLASS TIMES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Wednesday day class… 10am to 2pm
Wednesday night class… 7pm to 10pm
Thursday day class……. 10am to 2pm
Kindly email or ring me for further inquiries or to register your interest
and secure your place.
MIDGE JOHANSEN - RESUME:
Ceramic Artist, Sculptor, Teacher of Ceramic Sculpture techniques.
Established 30 years, Gold Coast.
Classes & Tuition:
Beginners to advanced, Day & Night Classes – email for details
midgehelena@bigpond.com
View sculptures at www.sculptorsgoldcoast.org.au
Facebook: Go to Sculptors' Society Gold Coast Inc
Midge Johansen is a sculptor, potter, poet, teacher and author (‘The Dinkum
Dictionary’ - Viking O’Neil/Penguin Books Australia Ltd. 1988, and ‘The Penguin
Book Of Australian Slang’ – Penguin Books Australia Ltd. 1966) with an absolute
passion for her craft, applying her energies to clay, resins, cast able stones and
mixed-media to produce a wide variety of original sculpture and art works.
Established in her practice for 30 years, Midge has extensive experience as a
ceramic teacher and professional artist involved in collaborative practice and
working with members of the community in promoting and achieving artistic
endeavors, and is experienced in conducting ceramic workshops with various art
groups, organizations, and schools. Midge has the skills relevant to act in the
capacity of artist project manager for private or collaborative artworks, including
innovative ceramic practice, administration, technical knowledge and financial
skills, and has a well-equipped studio and kiln facility. Midge has acted in the
capacity of leading artist and artwork project manager in facilitating the making
and installation of a hand-made ceramic mosaic public artwork within the Gold
Coast Regional Botanic Gardens (2007) where she trained a multi-cultural group
of emerging artists in the ceramic techniques required to construct and install the
artwork ‘Quilt Of Diversity’.
As Artist in Residency at Coomera Anglican College, Midge worked with the
students to produce a hand-made ceramic mosaic artwork using the theme of
‘redemption & forgiveness’ installed within the school grounds as a public
artwork project.
Winner of numerous awards and prizes, Midge’s ceramic work is represented in
the permanent collection of the Queensland Art Gallery – described as an
example of ‘West-coast Funk’, she gave permission for this work to be used as
part of an installation in the Asia-Pacific Triennial Of Contemporary Art. Her work
is also represented in public and private collections such as the Gold Coast City
Council, Somerset College, G.C. Potters’ Association, Beachcomber International
Resort, Gold Coast Botanic Gardens.
The inspiration for Midge’s work is borne not only from an admiration of the
human form – especially the beauty, myth, spirit and flowing symmetry of the
female – but also from a desire to comment on what is going on in her life from
a female perspective. She often sets out to challenge society’s mores and
customs, adding mischief, humour, kitsch and the bizarre to make light of many
heavy subjects. Midge embraces the strengths, weaknesses, endurance and
sexuality of women whilst commenting on the restrictions imposed by traditional
values of chastity and modesty. Whilst contemplating the humorous side of the
serious, mundane and forbidden issues of society, sex and gender issues her
pieces often reflect humour, innuendo, fantasy and social comment.
Not only adept with the human form, Midge is also an accomplished potter, and
employs hand-built and slip-cast techniques to create large pieces for sculptural
adornment and glaze decoration, including 22 Carat gold and platinum lustres.
She also enjoys the incendiary delights of Raku-firing and post-firing reduction
and holds many workshops in this technique.
A long-standing and active member of the Sculptors’ Society Gold Coast Inc. and
Gold Coast Potters Assoc. Inc., Midge has also applied her vast energies and
knowledge to serve on various committees such as the Sculptors’ Society Gold
Coast Inc., Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award and Gold Coast Global
Sculpture Prize Inc. She has also been invited to judge several art exhibitions.
Midge has a long history of teaching, including ten years with the Victorian
Education Department, five years of teaching the Sculpture Course at Gold Coast
T.A.F.E. College and two decades of teaching clay hand-building techniques for
the Sculptors’ Society, which she continues to do today.
Midge’s ability to hold ceramic workshops for large groups is often sought by
organizations and schools throughout the region, and she continues to pass on
her skills in intensive workshops to many such groups, including Beaudesert
Potters Assoc., Tweed Unlimited Arts, Sculptors’ Society Gold Coast Inc., MAGIC
Inc. (Multicultural Arts Groups In Collaboration), Artist in Residence, Coomera
Anglican College.
Commissions include the employment of a vast body of knowledge in ceramic,
resin casting and other sculptural techniques for private, business and corporate
bodies such as Beachcomber International Hotel, Avica Weddings & Resort, Clout
Design, Gold Coast Botanic Gardens for MAGIC Inc.
Midge currently holds regular classes for beginners and advanced students at the
premises of the Sculptors’ Society Gold Coast Inc. situated at Mudgeeraba, and
also has a kiln-firing service for ceramic artists. She exhibits her artworks
regularly and continues to support local schools and organizations with their
annual art exhibitions, together with donating works to charitable organizations
and her work is represented in several commercial galleries within SE
Queensland. She also has 30 years of experience as a curator of many art
exhibitions, applying a hands-on knowledge of the logistics required in a
collaborative approach.
Midge Johansen – Prizes: Awards : Commissions
1979 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1979 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1981 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1983 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1986 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1988 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1988 - First Prize
* Hand-built
1988 - First Prize - John Cooper Memorial Award
* Sculpture
1994 - RSM Hamilton Award – Acquisitive
* Sculpture
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Nerang Festival Of Arts
Currumbin Festival Of Arts
* Society Of Sculptors Gold Coast
* 9th National Gold Coast Sculpture
Award
1994 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* 9th National Gold Coast Sculpture
Award
1994 - Artist In residence
* Clay Sculpture Workshop * Beaudesert Potters Inc
1995 - First Prize - John Cooper Memorial Award
* Sculpture
* Society Of Sculptors Gold Coast
1996 - Judge
* Doll Sculpture
* NODAAA
1996 - Artist In Residence
* Hand-built Pottery
* Beaudesert Potters Inc
1996 - Cronulla Award Acquisitive
* Hand-built
* Gold Coast Potters’ Assoc Inc.
1996 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* 11th Nat Gold Coast Sculpt Award
1998 - First Prize
* Sculpture
* Australian Red Cross Gold Coast
Hinterland Art Festival
1999 - First Prize
* Sculpture
* Australian Red Cross Gold Coast
Hinterland Art Festival
1999 - Highly Commended
* Lustre Pottery
* Gold Coast Potters’ Assoc Inc.
1999 - People’s Choice Award Acquired for Royal Blind Society – Sydney
* Sculpture
* Australian Tactile Art Prize
Customs House Sydney
2001 - First Prize
* Wild Life Sculpture
* Marymount Art Festival
2001 - Artist In Residence
* Clay Demonstration
* Trinity Lutheran Primary School
2004 - First Prize
* Ceramics
* Springfest Currumbin Art Festival
2004 - Commission
* To construct ceramic sculptural wall murals and wate feature
at Avica Weddings & Resort Facility, Merrimac, Gold Coast
2004 - Gordon Foulds Award
* Sculpture
* Exotic Erotic Exh Sculptors’
Society GC Inc.
2004 - First Prize
* Raku Ceramics
* Qld Pottery Supplies Award Gold
Coast Potters’ Ass
2004 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* D’Arcy Doyle Inaugural Art prize
2005 - Artist In residence
* Clay Sculpture
* Tweed Unlimited Arts
2005 - Artist In Residence
* Clay Sculpture
* Beaudesert Potters Inc
2005 - First Prize
* Pottery
* Paradise Kids Art Exhibition
2005 - First Prize
* Ceramics
* Paradise Kids Art Exhibition
2005 - Second Prize
* Sculpture
* Paradise Kids Art Exhibition
2005 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* Sculptors’ Society GC Ann
Members’ Exh
2005 - Highly Commended
* Ceramics
* Springfest Art Festival
2005 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* Exotic Erotic Exh Sculptors’
Society GC Inc.
2005 - Commission
* To construct sculptural resin ceiling-mounted light fittings
for the Beachcomber International Resort foyer, Coolangatta.
2005 - Artist In Residence
* Clay Sculpture Workshop* MAGIC (Multicultural Arts Groups
In Collaboration)
2006 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture, Nude
* Sculptors’ Soc GC Annual
Members’ Exh
2007 - First Prize
2007 - First Prize
2007 - First Prize
* Sculpture, Nude
* Just Nudes Exhibition, Ipswich Art
Society
* Hand-built (bananas)
* Gold Coast Potters’ Assoc
Annual Members’ Exhibition
Edith Battrick Memorial Award
* Sculpture ‘Lady Fingers’ * Exotic Erotic Exh Sculptors’
Society GC
2007 - Second Prize
* Sculpture, Nude
Cold Cast Bronze
* Nundah Art Festival
2007 - Artist In Residence
* Clay Torso Workshop
* Coomera Anglican College
2007 - Artist In Residence
* Public Art Work
* Gold Coast Botanic Gardens,
Leading Artist- handmade ceramic-tile wall mosaic ‘Quilt Of
Diversity’ for MAGIC (Multicultural Arts Groups In
Collaboration)
2008 - Third Prize
* Sculpture, Nude
Cold Cast Marble
* Just Nudes Exh, Ipswich Art
Society
2008 - First Prize – John Cooper Memorial Award
* Sculpture (Fruit Bowl)
* Sculptors’ Society GC Inc
Members Exh
2008 - Highly Commended
* Handbuilt Pottery
* Kenilworth Art Festival 2008
2008 - Second Prize
* Sculpture Nude
* Nundah Art Festival
2008 - Artist In Residence
* Clay Mosaic – installed
in school grounds
* Coomera Anglican College
2009 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture
* Passion & Desire Exhib Sculptors’
Society GC Inc.
2010 - Highly Commended
* Sculpture- lustre teapot * Exotic Erotic Exh GC Sculptors’
Society Inc.
2011 - First Prize
* Sculpture
* Just Nudes Exh, Ipswich Art
Society
2011 - Third Prize
* Sculpture
* Just Nudes Exh, Ipswich Art
Society
2011 - Third Prize
* Sculpture - Torso
* Trinity Lutheran College Art Show
2011 - A & M Insurance People's Choice Award
* Slipcast sculpture
* Gold Coast Potters’ Assoc
'My Throne'
Annual Members’ Exhibition
2011 - First Prize
* Ceramic Sculpture
* Exotic Erotic Exh GC Sculptors’
Society Inc.
2011 - Highly Commended
'Cockles'
* Sculpture, mixed media * Exotic Erotic Exh GC Sculptors’
Society Inc.
Midge as Leading Artist for ‘Quilt Of Diversity’ – a 700 handmade tiled mosaic for Gold Coast MAGIC installed in the Sensory
Garden of the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens 2007
Artist In Residence at Coomera Anglican College with students who completed 3 handmade tiled mosaic artworks relating to themes of salvation and redemption installed in the
school grounds.
The Siren Cast Fibre
Reinforced
Concrete