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Johanna Ashby

jo-ashby.com
jo-ashby.com
About the member

Jo spent over thirty years working in education whilst continuing with her professional art career. She has worked in special & mainstream education; taught in adult art education; tutored art groups and continues to lead residential art workshops. She returned to full-time painting in 2013. She now lives on Sherkin Island, and the Sheep’s Head peninsular, Co Cork .

Education
  • Bournville School of Art, University of Birmingham (1979-80)
  • The Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art, University of Oxford (1981- 84)
  • Goldsmith’s College, University of London (1985-86)
Exhibitions
  • Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham (1984)
  • Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead (2001)
  • Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham (2003)
  • Helmsley Arts Centre, Helmsley, Yorkshire (2003)
  • Stark Gallery, London (2004)
  • The Warren Gallery, Castletownshend, Co Cork (2006, 2008)
  • The Stour Gallery, Shipston-upon-Stour, Warwickshire (2009)
  • Hungry Hill Gallery, Adrigole, Co Cork (2011, 2013, 2017)
  • The Grejczik Gallery, Scarborough, Yorkshire (2016)
  • Aisling Gallery, Ballydehob, Co Cork (2016, 2017, 2019)
  • Cork Airport (2019)
  • Blue House Gallery, Schull (2022)
  • ‘Fragile Beauty’, Cnoc Buí Arts Centre, Unionhall (2025)
  • ‘We would notice these things’ Carnegie Arts Centre with Mill
  • Cove Gary,lle, Kenmare Arts Festival (2025)
  • ‘Drawing the line’, Sherkin Island (2025)

Group Exhibitions:

  • Helios Gallery, Birmingham (1984)
  • Artmonsky Arts at AAF, London (2002)
  • Camberwell Arts, London (2002)
  • The Private Collector Gallery, Innishannon, Co Cork (2002-2005)
  • The Royal Society of Marine Artists, The Mall Galleries, London (2003)
  • Café Projects, The Gallery, London (2003)
  • Art Ireland with Stark Gallery (2004) and the Warren Gallery (2007)
  • Skylark Gallery, London (2004)
  • Stark Gallery at the Affordable Art Fair, London, Bristol and Dublin (2004 – 2006)
  • The Iverni Gallery, Kenmare (2004-2006)
  • Karen Taylor Galleries, London (2005)
  • Jeannie Avent Gallery, London (2006)
  • Tramyard Gallery, Dublin (2006)
  • Dulwich Picture Gallery, London (2006)
  • Tramyard Gallery, Dublin (2006)
  • The Warren Gallery, Castletownshend and Dublin (2006 – 2007)
  • Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead (2007, 2012)
  • The Store Gallery, London (2008)
  • Kilkenny Arts Festival, Kilkenny (2009)
  • West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen, Co Cork (2015, 2017, 2018, 2021- 2025)
  • West Cork Creates, Cork Airport (2017)
  • Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham (2001-2014, 2016-2020, 2023)
  • West Cork Creates, Skibbereen (2016-2025)
  • The Stour Gallery, Shipston-upon-Stour, Warwickshire (2002 – 2018)
  • Sherkin Island (2015-2024)
  • Aisling Gallery, Ballydehob (2018, 2023, 2025)
  • Hungry Hill Gallery, Adrigole (2009 – 2025)
  • Cork Airport: (2017, 2019)
  • The Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden (2019)
  • The Blue House Gallery, Schull (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • Art Source, Dublin (2022)
  • Working Artists’ Studios, Ballydehob (2022- 2025)
  • Mill Cove Gallery, Kenmare (2022, 2023, 2024)
  • Cnoc Bui, Unionhall (2023)
  • Clifden Arts Festival (2023)
Residency

Awards, Prizes and Residencies:

  • 2024: Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig
  • 2023: Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig
  • 2022: Cil Rialaig Art Residency, Co Kerry
  • 2019: Elected Member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
  • 2019: Tyrone Guthrie Arts Residency Centre, Co Monaghan
  • 2015: Cil Rialaig Artist Residency, Co Kerry
  • 2006: Highly commended: Dulwich Picture Gallery Prize exhibition
  • 2004: Elected Associate Member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
  • 2004: First Prize: Royal Birmingham of Artists Prize Exhibition

Johanna
Ashby

I have an enduring fascination with the rhythms and patterns in Nature. Often obsessing about details that would otherwise go un-noticed. I spend much time simply looking, watching and making observations of our shorelines and hedgerows in addition to larger, more panoramic seascapes and landscapes. I feel a deep connection with the natural world around me and constantly seek to celebrate it in all its guises and as the seasons turn. The ebb and flow of the natural world. I draw intensely and incessantly. I paint using acrylic as the speedy drying allows for repeated layers of glazes and gives reassuring stability with mixed media work.

Johanna Ashby