EXHIBITION HOURS

12–6PM THU, FRI, SAT
 12–4PM SUN

OPENING CELEBRATION
6–8PM FRI 28

 

With the vast Australian Landscape as her inspiration, Tara Johns invites viewers into a world where the ancient and surreal meet. Her work blends familiar landscapes with mystery, creating images that evoke timeless stories. Through photographs and paintings, Johns uses light, colour, and texture to craft illusions of depth, shifting perspectives, and moments of reflection.

In her paintings, layers of paint, clay, ochre, and earth form organic shapes that seem to emerge from the surface. These forms hover between the real and the unknown, while sparks of deep blues, reds, and oranges bring life and movement to the works. The textured surfaces ground the work, while shifts in light and perspective immerse the senses and alter perception.

Johns’ photographs extend this exploration by transforming bush landscapes into playful, dreamlike narratives. Scenes are composed with a painter’s eye for light and shadow, inviting the viewer to see the world with fresh wonder.

Both mediums explore the tension between the whimsical and the profound, bridging fleeting moments of wonder with the enduring presence of nature. This body of work is grounded in Johns’ personal journey of sensory transformation—a path shaped by adapting to a new way of experiencing the world. Through her art, she reveals hidden layers of perception and invites others to reflect on their own sensory boundaries.

Under a Strange Sun is a journey through shifting realities—a celebration of resilience, light, and the power of art to reshape the way we see.

Tara Johns ‘Under a Strange Sun’
Tara Johns ‘Under a Strange Sun 2’

ABOUT TARA JOHNS

I am a painter and photographer based in Sydney, Australia. After studying photography at Sydney Technical College, I began my career as a staff photographer for News Ltd publications and freelanced for various Sydney magazines. I later worked across Southeast Asia for organisations such as UNESCO and Interplast, with photo essays published in outlets like the South China Morning Post. Upon returning to Australia, I earned a degree in Visual Art from Curtin University and a Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts Education from ACU. Currently pursuing a Master’s in Special Education, I also teach visual arts and work as a disability and inclusion educator.

My artistic practice is deeply influenced by my journey through illness, which sharpened my sensory perception and transformed my creative approach. Working with both paint and photo media, my work blends surreal and organic elements, using layered textures, light, and color to create illusions of depth and dimension. I explores landscapes both real and imagined, where layers of colour and earth emerge, evoking a sense of place that is at once familiar and veiled. My work invites viewers to perceive their surroundings in fresh and unexpected ways, engaging their senses on a visceral level.

I have presented my work in various exhibitions, including the solo show “World Time” at Piccolina Gallery in Sydney and “The Way We See” at Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne. I have been a finalist in the National Contemporary Art Prize and the Doyles Landscape Art Prize. Additionally, I was selected for the “Art and About – Sydney Life” exhibition in Hyde Park. I have also participated in artist residencies, received independent artist grants, and served as a guest artist at the Art Gallery of NSW, conducting sensory-friendly talks and workshops.