FernArtz

Tag: Fern Smith

  • Art and Words – Too Hot to Handle -Project

    Come join me in exploring these complex issues through art and words. To be viewed online and where possible utilizing pop-up methods locally. #TooHotToHandle is curated by Fern Smith. The works will be hashtagged leading into the celebrations of IWD– month. More detail here #TOO HOT TO HANDLE? – FernArtz

  • Enough is Enough

    • When going through change you tend to fall back on what comes easily. For me that is drawing. While drawing one can allow the mind to fly free or listen intently to what is around you.

    I am emerging; from COVID-19 as part of our life with the lock downs in Victoria appear to be easing. In the past twelve months I have relocated away from my shop front studio if fifteen years in Merlynston Melbourne to Portarlington a Port Phillip Bay village whilst in is mix undergone a major operation. All these changes has had a huge pact on my art practice.

    The time moving away from my studio has given me a great deal of time to reflect and ponder the best way for me as an artist to move forward. Concurrently with my pontificating global and regional human rights issues have emerged “black lives matter”  and “enough” showing the fragilities of our liberal democracies while playing out on in media.

    My change and the worlds change, all moshing around in my head, brings me to developing four conceptual art bodies of work around common everyday Australian terms; “to hot to handle”, ‘’a rod for my own back”, “drunkard” and “stain”. I expect they will take about awhile to fully mature and present in the material form. As an artist is is called the development and designing phase. Where research such as looking at: the personal is political, the personal is private and slang usage in the everyday. What would be the best vehicles for this creative participatory exploration?

  • Haiku – Fishing nets

    They stood in a tin
    Sea washing this way and that
    Casting came to naught

    FS 23Oct 2020

  • Shadow puppets

    • purpose built screen
    • purpose built screen
    • purpose built screen
    • light filled window
    • light filled window
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • purpose built screen
    • light filled window
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    • Shadow Puppets
    Shadow puppets made at Brunswick Neighbourhood House 2019 for the Sea is Sinking installation

    These shadow puppets where made from hand dyed and glued papers and cut out from a template during a workshop at Brunswick Neighbourhood House in 2019 for the Sea is Sinking Installation. The handles are meat skewers glued with tag paper.

    Home screens can be made from sheets hung in a light filled window or put the puppet in front of a lamp pointing to a wall or intense midday sun outside. Play and experiment.

  • Vegetable Dye Paint

    • vegetable dye paint and glue
    • vegetable dye paint and glue
    • vegetable dye and glue
    • rolls of paper – vegetable dye paint
    • drying flat on non stick paper
    • single sheets drying
    • two sheets of recycled brown paper glued and painted with vegetable dye paint
    Examples of vegetable dye paint

    Ingredients: Vegetable dye, homemade glue, salt, eucalyptus oil 

    Mix ingredients to desired consistency – it can be very runny to quite stiff it will be dependent on the materials you will be using.

    If you add calcium carbonate turns the paint from translucent to flat (non see through).

    This paint is very accessible, affordable for children and is non toxic.

    If you want to get into it more further reading / good reference material is Green Guide for artists by Karen Michel  Quarry press 2009 and Artists hand book a complete professional guide to materials and techniques by Pip Seymour Arcturus Press 2003 or go to my blog page on types of paint you can make. https://fernartz.com/make-your-own-paint/

    What is a preservative?  Helps stop the growth of mould and bacteria. Some other preservatives other than essential oils is sugar and salt have been used throughout the ages as a preservative for foods often used in bottling of vegetables.

    What is mould? Is a fungi such as a mushroom. Mould can be a health hazard causing you to sneeze or irritate the eyes. What is bacteria? Some of the first forms of life and can divide and grow very quickly however some bacteria can be harmful to humans.