Arnrid B. Johnston

Arnrid Banniza Johnston (1895 - 8 July 1972) was a Swedish sculptor and illustrator, who spent the majority of her life and career in Britain.

Biography

Johnston was born at Uddevalla in Sweden, to a Swedish mother, Lily Ann, and an English father, Arthur Sannox Johnston, and was educated at a school in London at Blackheath. Remaining in London, between 1913 and 1920, she studied at the Slade School of Fine Art where she won several prizes including, on two occasions, the Feodora Gleichen memorial prize for sculpture and also a two-year Slade scholarship. At the Slade she studied sculpture under James Havard Thomas. In 2018, Historic England recognised the significance of the piece with a Grade II listing. Other animal themed reliefs by Johnston included Cats on a Chimney Cowl, Squirrels and Resting Horses.

During the 1930s and 1940s, Johnston wrote and illustrated up to twenty books for children, often on animal subjects and also illustrated works by other authors, notably The Little Black Calf by Kathleen Foyle.

Books written and/ or illustrated Pigwiggen, 1938 Animal Families, 1939, Country Life Fables from Aesop and Others, 1944, Transatlantic Arts Animals We Use, 1948, Methuen The Little Black Calf by Kathleen Foyle Les Fontaine's Fables, an unfinished work.