Bernie creating a mural.
Tyrone born artist Bernie Wilson artist and former secondary school teacher was inspired to establish ART FARM when she moved to Milford after marrying her husband Johnny in 2009. Through the medium of art, the Cookstown native wanted to provide a creative facilitation service dedicated to making arts and crafts for everyone, believing that anyone can take up art.
“It’s not always about the final product, it’s about the overall experience and enjoyment through self-expression,” she said.
So it was then, Bernie’s business ART FARM began. Initially, starting out as a part-time project, ART FARM is now in its third year running and is a full-time job for the artist.
ART FARM is very much people-centred and community based. It is about showcasing artistic progress, creative enjoyment and local talent.
Bernie enjoys teaching and delivering various arts and crafts workshops around the county to all abilities and ages. She recently worked with Turner Prize 2013 in Derry facilitating art workshops and giving exhibition tours to the general public and schools.
She has also been involved with many other high profile arts projects over the years including Re-Imaging Communities Programme, Waves of Change, Cross Border Connections Project, Weinfest and Reconciliation through the Riverine projects to name a few.
Bernie Wilson.
Working with many aesthetics and a wide range of mediums to suit individuals and groups ART FARM has facilitated local murals, oil and watercolour classes as well as ceramic, sculpture, textile, silk painting, batik and mosaic workshops and summer camps. Working closely with individual group specifications, school curriculums and project briefs each workshop is tailored to suit the needs of each group, theme, age and ability.
ART FARM is a mobile service at present travelling to a where requested although Bernie has a desire to some day have her own studio space on the farm where groups can come to her. She said: “Donegal is a very creative county with much talent so it has always been a dream of mine to set up an art space where locals can be inspired and are encouraged to create.
“ART FARM is about making art accessible to all, it’s about enjoyment, creative well-being and having fun! Taking art too seriously or negatively can hinder progress and personal achievement. It’s a sanctuary for the creative minded where ‘happy accidents and welcomed and explored to further artistic development.”
As well as the demands of assisting others with their work through ART FARM, Bernie herself continues to practice as an artist having had some work exhibited in Ross Fine Art, Letterkenny Crafts, Burnavon Arts Centre Cookstown and McKenna Gallery Omagh over the last few years.
She is currently working on a new series of oil paintings and hopes to exhibit in the not too distant future. Bernie also does private commissions, illustrations, private murals, portraits and arty parties. All projects and works created by local adults, kids groups, schools, learning networks, hospitals and nursing homes can be viewed online at www.artfarmcreations.com and clicking the link to the Facebook page. Here, people who LIKE the page can keep up to speed on new and up and coming classes and workshops around their area.
Contact Bernie Wilson on mobile 087 2744 974, e-mail bernie@artfarmcreations.com or www.artfarmcreations.com
Bernie with students.
Zara McDaid can be contacted on Facebook, search ‘Zara Mc Daid Art’, www.zaramcdaid-art.blogspot.ie or e-mail is zaramcdaid@hotmail.com
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