In the muted light of her studio in Central Victoria, Bridget Farmer's world unfurls with the delicacy of a bird's wing. Her prints, etched with an intricate love for the natural world, portray native Australian birds not merely as subjects but as vivid emissaries of place and time. “Every time I move between Ireland and Australia,” Farmer reflects, “the birds are the first to tell me where I am.” It is this migratory rhythm, a personal symphony of feathers and songs, that pulses through her art.

Farmer’s fascination with birds is as unassuming as it is profound. “I don’t have a ‘spark bird,’” she admits with a self-deprecating chuckle. “It’s always been there, this gentle awareness.” The artist’s approach to her subjects is intuitive and deeply personal, drawn from her own observations and the sounds of the avian world. “I take my camera everywhere,” she says, “and I try to capture not just their appearance but their essence.” This commitment to capturing the ethereal aspect of birdlife transforms her prints into something almost metaphysical.

The process of translating these observations into print is both meditative and meticulous. Farmer’s studio is an alchemical space where the tactile meets the ephemeral. Her preferred medium, drypoint etching, allows her to explore the nuances of line and texture with a precision that mirrors her observational skills. “Drypoint is about how the ink interacts with the lines you’ve created,” she explains. “It’s the opposite of relief printing like lino cuts, where the ink sits on the surface.” This technique, which she discovered in 2005 during a visit to Australia, offers a way to render the intricate detail of feathers and the subtlety of bird songs onto the page.

Yet Farmer’s journey into printmaking was not a straightforward path. Her early training in jewellery and silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art could not have foretold the pivot to etching. “Jewellery is about working with metal, but printmaking—especially drypoint—is about drawing with metal,” she observes. This crossover between her past and present work is not lost on her. “I still use some of my jewellery tools for scratching into the plates,” she notes with
a smile. “It’s a nice connection.”

The intersection of different artistic realms is a recurring theme in Farmer’s work. Her foray into creating embroidered patches and enamel pins is an extension of her printmaking practice, a means of reaching broader audiences while staying true to her artistic vision. “It’s about keeping the art accessible and engaging,” she says. “The patches and pins are like little pieces of my art that people can carry with them.”

In addition to her printmaking and product lines, Farmer is also involved in teaching and community outreach. Though she admits to occasional bouts of social anxiety, she values the opportunity to share her skills with others. Workshops at locations like the Art Hub in Woodend and Bruny Island provide a space for both instruction and inspiration, fostering a dialogue between artists and their environment.

Central Victoria, with its vast skies and varied birdlife, plays a significant role in Farmer’s creative process. The local environment and community offer a wellspring of inspiration, particularly through interactions with fellow artists and bird enthusiasts. “It’s wonderful to connect with others who share an interest in nature,” she says. “We go on bird walks and camping trips, and it deepens my understanding of the natural world.”

Farmer’s latest project, a children’s book titled I Am a Magpie, I Am a Curlew, is set to launch soon. The book aims to introduce young readers to the subtle distinctions between bird species, encouraging them to observe and appreciate the natural world. “It’s about teaching the value of noticing,” Farmer explains. “Once you start paying attention, the world reveals so much more.”

In Farmer’s prints, as in her life, the bird is not merely a creature of the sky but a symbol of deeper truths and connections. Her work captures a moment where nature’s delicate beauty intersects with human experience, offering a glimpse into a world where every feather and song tells a story worth telling.

Bridget Farmer Printmaker
@bridgetfarmerprintmaker
bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com

Story by Mahmood Fazal
Photos by Chris Turner