21ST AUGUST 2019

FROM OUR EARTH ART Q&A

From Our Earth art, was manifested and sprouted when we moved to Byron, we had some big realisations when living in Adelaide about how much destruction big companies and the government were having on the Earth.

Marianne wears the Firefly Top

Tell us a bit about yourselves & From Our Earth… how did it all begin?

Marianne and I met on everybody’s favourite social media platform......... (Tinder) haha nah we actually met on Instagram. We had some mutual friends on Instagram from Portugal where I was staying at the time and where Marianne had been and was going back too. I spotted Marianne through a mutual friend’s Instagram and left a cheeky comment on one of Marianne’s, painted cheeky bum photos! After a few comments were exchanged, I then told Marianne to add me on Facebook, so we could talk easier, as I don't think Insta had private messaging yet haha. Lucky Marianne had already booked some tickets to return to Portugal, so we could meet in person. Marianne stayed with me in a little fisherman’s hut I was renting and within 4 days or so days we were deeply in Love.

From Our Earth art, was manifested and sprouted when we moved to Byron, we had some big realisations when living in Adelaide about how much destruction big companies and the government were having on the Earth. We then saw how much these companies and governments were affecting the people and how unconscious everyone was about what they were buying and consuming. From Our Earth Art sprouted from this Awakening.

Describe your art in 5 words…

Conscious, abstract, healing, colourful, deep.

What you guys have created is nothing short of inspirational, what has been the most challenging part about doing what you do? What hurdles have you faced?

Thank you for that, it doesn’t feel like that all the time because it’s just how it should be! But we realised it wasn’t and that is why we had to research, think and find ways to become more sustainable. The Indigenous cultures of the world played a major inspiration in the creation of From Our Earth art, their connection, knowledge and respect for earth is like no other. The challenges were finding what to use as a canvas instead of the badly farmed cotton ones, you buy from shops that come wrapped in thin plastic. Hemp was the answer and driftwood from the beach, whilst collecting plastic was the scroll type frame we manifested through worldly inspirations. We found a company in Byron that has natural earth pigments and binders that have no volatile organic compound (VOC, really bad for people to breathe in) and this is how we created the first art pieces for From Our Earth Art.

We also started making pottery and firing our pieces in a kiln run off solar panels, but we have decided we had too many creative outlets going on and have focused our creative energy back to our paintings. We have a little bit of clay left and after that we will keep a few special pieces for ourselves and hopefully sell the other special pieces to some beautiful people.

What is the most rewarding part of From Our Earth?

The most rewarding part of From Our Earth is knowing that we are truly helping all life, that lives on this magical sphere we call Earth.

What determines/inspires the pieces you create? What’s your creative process? How long would you spend on each item?

Nature has always had a big place in our hearts and in our creative process/inspiration. We are also inspired by feelings, emotions and music. We start the creative process by listening to music… ALWAYS! Sometimes I (Marianne) feel super inspired and start painting straight away, and sometimes it’s the opposite, sometimes I wait for the inspiration to come to me. If I am not feeling 100% in the zone, I normally don’t engage in the creative process and I rest or do something else instead. The time we spend on each piece varies a lot but we always put a lot of time and love in to our creations! To answer the question; it can take anywhere between 2 hours to 3 weeks!

Do you source all the materials locally?

We tried to source everything as local as possible and if not locally, in Australia somewhere.

The hemp is sourced from Margaret River, we bought about 15m x 15m of 100% hemp canvas and the driftwood is sourced from Byron’s beautiful beaches.

For the paint we found a company in Byron that has natural earth pigments and binders that have no volatile organic compound s mentioned earlier. We created 6 or so scrolls and ran out of paints, so we decided that it was a waste to not use all of the old acrylic paints we had from Adelaide. Once they are empty we are going to use all of the containers for an art piece, that will help spread awareness about plastics and many other things that aren’t eco-friendly. Ben also makes the frames out of recycled timber for most of our paintings!

Tell us about an average day at From Our Earth…

• Surf
• Create (painting, shooting, modelling, brainstorming)
• Emailing, editing, invoicing
• Cooking and eating healthy foods
• Sleep

We don’t really have a routine with From Our Earth we just flow like water (Zen master voice- to flow like water, you must become the water!)

Are you finding more people are becoming more conscious about their purchases and turning to product such as your own?

100%! There is definitely an eco-conscious movement happening and it is actually AMAZING to be a part of, and we encourage everybody to read and educate themselves about the impact us humans have on the environment (whether they are positive or negative). Once you know the impacts, you just can’t ignore the facts so you become more conscious in the things you buy from art to clothes to cars and everyday expenses!

You’re lucky enough to call the beautiful Byron Bay home, what are your favourite places/things about it?

We feel super lucky to live in such a special place. Its cultural Indigenous history is powerful and thankfully still remains a part of the town and land. It was a meeting place for Northern rivers tribes to share dream time stories, ceremonies and wisdoms of the universe. Byron attracts a lot of great individuals and a lot of creatives, which gives it its uniqueness and vibrance. The beaches are beautiful and the people too. Oh and there are many conscious people which we love- many brands and inspiring humans have been a part of Byron Bay! The nature and hinterland in and around Byron is amazing. It really hurts to see plastics on the beach and to see people that surf and live around the area, still using plastics and not always sourcing sustainable eco-conscious products. It is changing though and we can already feel it.

What is something/somewhere new that you’ve discovered recently?

We have discovered that we were splitting our creativity up into too many things; painting, pottery, photography, modelling, working on a book along with running the business, our Instagram’s, surfing a lot and probably not being the most organised, life all got a bit fuzzy! We also had some personal healing to do, and now we have done that we have become truer to our souls and have had some awakenings, on how to use our energy wiser and cut back on a couple of creative outlets.

What does “Freedom” mean to you and when do you feel most free?

Freedom to us is letting go of many of the pressures, anxieties and conditions western society has put on us. Having no judgement or blame towards these conditions, we acknowledge them and move on, whilst not forgetting the amazing useful creations it has brought to the world.

We feel most free when knowing that how we live is not for the greater good of our bank accounts, but for the greater good of the Earth and all life. Living like this is a win win and leads to better health and wellbeing for everyone and everything. True Mind, Body and SOUL happiness. For example we have decided to stop driving our beloved van “Trev” anymore and ride, walk and catch public transport instead. Better for the world + better for health :) if you’re interested follow the journey on @ridefornature and send us through some photos of you riding and walking in nature :)

How does your work/lifestyle create freedom for you?

For us to get to this “free” lifestyle, we did have to work full-time for a year in order to save enough money to move to Byron and to fully live from our creativity, whether it is from our art or from working with brands. By setting goals, we were able to make our vision become a reality. Our work/lifestyle creates freedom in the way that we don’t have to work 9-5 Monday to Friday. This is our choice, some people don’t mind that lifestyle and it’s ok, we totally respect that but for us, we feel so much more free and creative this way! Best feeling ever :)

When do you feel at your most expressive?

When we are our true selves. The past few months have been great and inspiration has been flowing, sometimes overflowing haha! When we are fully connected with ourselves, we feel like we see so much more beauty and realness. We are in touch with our emotions and feelings and let them guide us to express.

Why do you think it’s important for people to be able to express themselves?

We feel that it is so important for us and for EVERYONE to be able to express themselves. We can’t say it enough. Self-expression has taught us so much and has helped getting us where we are today! Without self-expression, we feel like it is so easy to get lost in the whirlwind of the “norms” of the society, conformism. We encourage you to express yourself in any way that makes you feel good and alive.

What advice do you have for budding artists, or those eco conscious business owners out there about creating art/business but in a way such as yours that cares for the environment so much?

To educate ourselves about the impact that we artists/business owners have on the environment and people. Once we are conscious, we just can’t ignore the facts and we HAVE TO make positive changes in the way we create. To share about what you know, share it on social media! Instagram is such a powerful tool and platform and we can share so much about our journeys towards being more conscious and sustainable!

Where can we view and purchase your beautiful creations?

You can buy our creations through Marianne’s Instagram @mroussety and through our website fromourearthart . We don’t have much for sale on the website at the moment, as we are saving and creating some pieces for an exhibition. But we also do commissions so don’t hesitate to message Marianne via her Insta.

Anything else to add?

Peace, Love and all of the above :)