Grounded Masterclass - Week 2

Grounded Masterclass - 2 videos plus notes

**connecting to your local environment by creating art from the earth itself**

Week 2, Part 1 - Making earth paints (a)

Click here to view the video.

Notes:

1. Make sure your earth or soft rock samples are completely dry before processing.

2. Pound and grind about 1/2 a cup of earth or soft rock with your mortar and pestle, depending on its capacity. Don't fill it too full or it will be difficult to get the lumps out.

3. Sieve the ground up contents over a sheet of paper; wear a mask if you need to as some of it will be quite fine, like dust.

4. Return anything that won't go through the sieve to the mortar and pestle and grind again, then sift over the paper as before.

5. Discard any hard lumps that won't go through the sieve.

6. Use the paper to pour the sifted material back into the mortar and pestle as shown in the video, and grind again, then sift. Do this a total of 3 times.

7. Again, discard any material that doesn't go through the sieve.

8. Store your ground earth powder in separate containers.

Week 2, Part 2 - Making earth paints (b)

Click here to view the video.

Notes:

To make earth paint, place 2-3 teaspoons of prepared powder into a small dish or other container.

Pour in a small amount of soy milk and stir with a teaspoon until you have a creamy consistency. There will still be visible grains in the paint; these will add texture when you paint with them.

Test your paint on a sheet of paper.

Try diluting the paint slightly and test it again to see what happens. Is it darker/lighter; grainier or smoother?

Use the same process with a different colour of prepared powder. Note the differences in colour and/or texture from earth that has been collected from a different location. Some results will be quite subtle.

Optional - collect some charcoal from your wood fire if you have one in your home. Pound/grind/sift it as you did with the dry earth or soft rock to make black paint.

[*Collect earth from your local area, your own yard or ask friends to give you some from their garden.]

About your tutor - I am a designer, artist and teacher, living and working in rural northeast Tasmania, Australia. My heritage is Dutch; I was born in Canada but have lived here for many years. This is now my home! I have been stitching and making art for most of my life, and my work has been published internationally, featured in many exhibitions and won numerous awards. However, my main drivers are a love of creating, and developing opportunities to encourage others.

[B. Ed (Art major, distinction); Dip. Art Craft Design (Textiles)]

The right environment - I like to play music while I'm working. Music is a big part of my life and it helps me relax, be in the moment, and distracts me from my tinnitus (which is severe). Choose music you love, nothing too upbeat, sit comfortably at a table which is not too low or too high, and you will soon enter 'the zone'!

Online - gonerustic.com

Instagram- @gonerustic

Facebook - gonerusticstudiogallery