FernArtz

Category: Fern Smith

Updates on Fern Smith’s art activities

  • big SMALL (works)

    https://www.facebook.com/NOIRdarkroom/
    https://www.noirdarkroom.com/

    A couple of  my watercolour on cotton artworks will be in the exhibition, ‘big SMALL (works)’. Its up to the artists to sell their works as there is no commission. See https://fernartz.com/art-shop/ The two works looking for a home: 1.  Dedicated to Rebecca Small and 2. Kettle of Mermaids. They are little gems if I might say so myself.

    Love to see you at the opening it is Noir Darkroom’s first full year in operation. Support your local gallery that supports local artists. Jess is a very affable art director.  You never know you might want to exhibit their too.

     

  • Puppet making

    Finished puppet a very satisfying feeling. A good marionette puppet starting point.
    Tools needed: scissors, paper glue, awe for poking holes, tape, and stapler
    It is takes a little time to get the wool/string at the right length – put on a door handle or hook for ease. The stapled neck is threaded with wool/string through the head. Puncture paper to insert paper clips. Once everything is assembled decorated how you choose.

  • Merlynston 3058 mauve sky

    Memories of yesterday lay on my skin, rolled, tumbled out of bed before morning’s crack. Slip slop slurp bleary coffee shuffle out the door. Today replaced yesterday on my skin; cool renewal soft mauve tones of light entered my minds eye.

    The slider starts with yesterdays end to morning’s crack. All photographs were taken in Merlynston 3058.

  • Famous Four one-hundred-kilometer trek 2018

    The early autumn air whisked our cheeks with a little shrug the cool was a back note. The sky dark no crack of light to guide the way. The Famous Four Oxfam walkers and I huddled into a tin can, packed to the rafters, we hurtled down the highway making the 6.30 am entry time for the seven thirty start .

    There was an air of expectancy and quiet in trepidation as we approach the busy dark treed full car park. The tin can, emptied quickly as the Famous Four grabbed their packs and walking sticks. Lights and noise were beaming in the distance marking our way to the start line. Hopping over a few logs we arrived at the long-anticipated moment.

    7.30 am they crossed the starting line 23/03/2018

    Last October the Famous four started training ever increasing their distance, pace and their load. I am so proud of them a motley crew. An artist, a nurse, a lawyer and a risk manager known to each other by the events they participated in, in their local area, of Coburg North.

    The artist created delightful drawings of their journey toward the big one-hundred-kilometer trek. These drawings formed a small colouring book to be sold at fund raising and promoted on the Oxfam site. https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/my/team/29115

    Quarter way point days are sunny life is gay.

    The support crew 2 by 2 ‘check point Charlies’ were with every step they took meeting their needs to sustain them to the finish line. We unpacked nurtured repacked and sped to the next checkpoint to repeat the process.

    Halfway point night trekking with one hours sleep.

    The swap over of was on a hill in Warburton, a sleepy river town. The children of the Famous Four were waiting anxiously for their mothers return. While waiting, they created a  cubby, dug a mine pit and developed new drainage system in the rainy weather. Many a muddy boot lined the doors entrance as we would return to restock and swap over.

    The Famous Four crossed the finish line after battling storms, wind, heat and torrential rain.

    Finished at 9.45 pm 24/3/2018

     

     

     

     

    100 klms  sourced from  Oxfam site

    The photographs taken by the support crew they tell a part of the story no doubt as the walking  artist recovers more drawings will emerge.

    By a ‘check point Charlie’ for their friends and family.

     

  • Fashion Show and the long blog

    First of February, the last month of summer as the sun tilted more to the side, was an auspicious day. I received an email inviting me to be on Strutt Your Stuff working committee by fellow artist Sheena Mathieson  We had found recently we hold similar sensibilities around “art” “creativity” “inclusive”, “accessible” “for all abilities”.

    Monday the sixth a warm and sunny day. Being not far from JStudio I rode up on my intrepid bicycle spotting an eclectic bunch of people sitting under a tree behind wire fencing.

    Listening to the rippling of dreaming laced with many hopes and aspirations.

    Mingled and punctuated with chilled tea and pressed fruit. It was not long before I was putting in my two bobs worth in. The conjuring meetings were held thus, weekly for an hour or so. With an emphasis on the so.

    Quick as a flash we were holding an all-day workshop to facilitate rippling of dreams. There was printing, sewing, flower making, inking, medallion making with the weaving of words folding in and around the room. The day was gentle and enlivening at the same time.

    Emails were piling up turning into the great scroll rolling through the ‘burbs. Social media was abounding with the clinking of the keyboards accompanied by the whoosh of up loading images. As the scroll was lengthening and the social media jamming we could feel the Strutt Your Stuff fashion Carnival was quickening.

    Angela Pollock, Sheena’s right arm, extruded always a calm joviality keeping the volunteer bees humming. I loved it reveling the inclusiveness of it. Here we were all abilities ages all shades of beauty working toward a totally inclusive fashion parade.

    Like the autumn settling the event was like leaves falling into place naturally in their own spot yet part of the all. On 18th day of Autumn the weather like us were calm going about our busyness dressing up JStudio, a little old rundown ex primary school. We scrubbed, swept, decorated installed whizzed to shops and back. All matter of doing activities.

    17th day of Autumn had arrived, the evening of the grand fashion event was upon us. Like the weather, the gale force winds that accompanied the heat, swept us off our feet. The day was filled with doing those last minute tasks.

    The photographs will tell part of the tale now.  Welled up with happiness witnessing inclusion at its best and gentlest, I left after the fashion show to go to a dual 50th. I will put that day down as a bestie.