Dom Johns
Dominic Johns was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1966. He started in the tile industry at an early age before going to University and obtaining his Bachelor of Education. More industry experience followed before Dom concentrated on decorative work and then heard the call of Far North Queensland and Cairns in particular, moving to the area in the late 80’s, where he continued to work in commercial and domestic tiling. In 2002 Dom opened ‘Shardworks’, his studio committed to the art of mosaic, and began exhibiting his artworks. Spending considerable time in Cape York and Torres Strait Islander communities, Dom has been working to extend the boundaries of mosaic through Education Projects, writing curriculum for trades based traineeships as well as skills training organisations. Dom has completed numerous public art projects both nationally and internationally; been nominated several times for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Work in the Community, and had a number of successful solo exhibitions and many group showings. Dom was awarded a coveted Mosaic International Award for his sculpture Telescopus situated on the Northern Esplanade in Cairns and was the 2008 winner of the Qld Regional Achievement and Community Awards.In recent years Dom has scaled his mosaic operation back to spend time on his rural property west of Cairns where he has plans to build a dedicated mosaic studio and continue to work in the more peaceful surrounds of the bush whilst developing his permaculture garden.