John Mawhinney

"My work is a representation of the multifaceted identity of nature and endeavors to reveal that in nature there are systems within systems.

The underpinning for these ideas derives from the work of the Austrian/German philosopher Ludwig Von Bertanlanaffy who developed the General Theory of Systems. He proposed that all things are systems which are open to and interact with their environments.

I am also examining the seemingly opposite concepts of chaos and order. The surface has the characteristics of randomness, complexity, intricacy which can be seen as chaos. The form is expressive of order, control, containment, boundaries, stillness and calm. The idea is not to establish a sense of order, but to bring an understanding of the seemingly chaotic."

Education

• 2001- 2003 Masters Visual Arts, Ceramics, Monash University
• 1999 – 2000 Graduate Diploma Visual Arts, Ceramics Monash University

Solo Exhibitions

• 2005 - Coffs Harbour City Gallery, JOHN MAWHINNEY CERAMICS, Coffs Harbour
• 2004 - Coffs Harbour City Gallery, SHIPPING NEWS, Coffs Harbour
• 2004 - Hastings Regional Gallery, SYSTEMS OF SURFACE, Port Macquarie
• 2002 - Hastings Regional Gallery, SHIPPING NEWS, Port Macquarie

Group Exhibitions

• 2007 - Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, ALLSORTS, Coffs Harbour
• 2006 – 2008 ConVerge Northern Rivers Touring Ceramic Exhibition, Regional NSW/QLD
• 2004 - Hastings Regional Gallery, LOCAL VIEW, Port Macquarie
• 2004 - New England Regional Art Museum, PACKSADDLE EXHIBITION, Armidale
• 2004 - John Gordon Gallery, AFFORDABLE ART, Coffs Harbour
• 2004 - John Gordon Gallery, THE NATURE OF PLANTS, Coffs Harbour
• 2003 - Mura Clay Gallery, THE RYE CROP, Sydney
• 2003 - TAFE NSW Teaching Staff Art Exhibition, LOVE YOUR WORK, Sydney
• 2001 - Gold Coast International Ceramic Exhibition