Kylie Johnson

During her study of Visual Arts and Film in the early 1990s Kylie Johnson met a group of artists and potters and became part of the group known as Amfora. Here she rekindled her love of ceramics that was instilled by her parents and their involvement in the craft in the 1970s and 80s.

Amfora held many group shows throughout its 12-year run, and Kylie was a part of it all. Here she was taught ceramic skills in glazing, packing kilns, and hand building techniques.

In 1994 Kylie set up her business paper boat press, in its early days creating boutique greeting cards featuring her own whimsical one or two-line poems. This has now grown to include ceramic ornaments, ceramic jewellery, and functional ceramic vessels. Kylie’s work in all its varied forms sells in over 40 stores and galleries in Australia.

In 2008 Murdoch Books (Sydney, Australia) published her first commercially published anthology count me the stars, a collection from three self-published books. With the book’s success Murdoch Books signed her for a second collection of poetry and the title a once courageous heart was released in March 2010.

In 2012, Kylie Johnson opened a studio and gallery in Ashgrove, Brisbane where she creates and showcases a full collection of paper boat press work. In the gallery Kylie has curated over 20 exhibitions, both group and solo shows, for fellow artists including Bridget Bodenham, Clairy Laurence, Niharika Hukku, Katherine Wheeler and Nicolette Johnson.

The gallery has also hosted exhibitions of Japanese potters Momoko and Tetsuya Otani from Shigarki and Aya Yamanobe from Mashiko.

Kylie’s third book, melancholy and bright, published by UQP (University of Queensland Press) in 2014. With melancholy and bright Kylie turned her collection of words to those of others.

In 2019 Kylie and her sister Tiffany Johnson were offered a book deal with Thames & Hudson to write and photograph a book documenting their mutual love of the work of Japanese artisans. Utsuwa - Japanese objects for everyday use was released in Australia and the United Kingdom in 2021.

Kylie Johnson is dedicated to creating beautiful, quality handmade objects, to supporting and celebrating fellow artists who dedicate their life to a similar pursuit, and to sharing both of these joys with like minded souls in her life’s work.