Earthly Art
Sustainability.
Why ‘earthly art’?
Painting with acrylics is joyful, and they have allowed me to create some truly beautiful pieces full of colour and life. However, being a nature lover, over the years I have become more conscious of the waste created in the painting process and the difficulty of disposing of it thoughtfully.
As well as reducing my use of acrylics, I wondered if using natural materials to create art would allow me to create work that was more true to me.
Curiosity.
It’s a beautiful thing. Especially in art making. There is so much joy and excitement in experimenting.
After moving to Tingoora in 2021, and learning to live with the irrepressible red dirt, the idea to use its staining potential for good (instead of evil), began to form.
I dreamed of exploring this idea, as well as experimenting with natural dyes, made from food waste and other plant materials. And after a couple years of ‘dreaming’, one day I ordered some natural loose canvas so that I could try…
experimentation.
My first ‘earthly art’ experiments were created with the red dirt collected from my property, and natural dyes made by boiling up avocado pits, brown onion skins and coreopsis flowers. A white oil pastel was used to create a resist, and soy milk was used in places to create a deeper colour.
After painting my designs, and making prints with mud painted banksia leaves, the canvases were left to sit for a few days before brushing off the mud and washing to remove any excess. It was a nerve-wracking wait to see how intense the colours would remain. I enjoyed trying different ideas to finish these pieces and learnt so much about what works and what doesn’t, what I like and what doesn’t resonate with me.
evolution.
I am continuing to experiment with using our red earth to create art and with making dyes from various plants and food items. It is amazing to see the variety of colours that can be created, and the interesting effects that can be achieved through different application techniques and methods.
Watch this space!
