Brendan Farren.
THE STORY
Meet Brendan Farren. Brendan lives with his wife, three kids, and two dogs, Tip and Dot, in their remarkable self-built hemp and lime eco-house, on their small organic farm in Greencastle.
Brendan's ethos is gentle and uncomplicated: “I live off the land and with the land.” He grows organic vegetables, fruits and nuts, and has an acre of willow that he uses to weave his artistic creations. “Twenty years ago I had my ‘Aha!’ moment when I heard a ‘Hellooo Brendan’ calling out from the willow. It was then I realised that willow would bring a sustainable dimension to my art, a sustainable way to easily grow an abundant supply of material to play with.”
Brendan is an artist by trade and a ‘green artist’ by choice. He has a faithful devotion to the land and is committed to using sustainable materials in his artistic ventures. His art and energy are naturally intertwined with the seasons as he propagates the new willow on his land in spring and harvests the mature rods in winter. Then, by some sort of wizardry, he transforms the willow into spellbinding, ethereal sculptures, such as his four-metre-tall High Cross in Derry and his show-stopping curlews, which were commissioned by the Department of Wildlife and appear at various locations across the country. “I like making big things. By making huge, oversized birds, my hope is that some sort of awareness for nature comes from that.”
Brendan’s spectacular work has attracted a keen following via his YouTube channel, ‘Big Green Art’, which is dedicated to teaching and keeping alive the ancient art of basket weaving through a series of free video tutorials and practical step-by-step guides.
THE WHY
Once you become aware or conscious, you can't become unaware, and so you have to do what you can in service to the universe.
THE CHALLENGE
I'd challenge everyone to plant a seed and nurture the plant. It’s a profound experience!
THE HOPE
I look for hope wherever I can summon it – in a sunflower, rain after a drought, winter sun, a curlew’s cry, a baby's eyes.
THE RECOMMENDATION
PODCAST - Blindboy's podcasts.
To find out more visit www.biggreenart.com or follow Brendan on You Tube Big Green Art