Nadine Schmoll is a Brisbane based artist and educator whose practice spans art and science to create wearable art, sculpture and installations. Nadine creates immersive experiences that investigate human, plant and animal interrelationships through themes of symbiosis, resilience, community and sustainability. Her work draws on the ethics and principles of permaculture design to explore how humans can learn from nature in order to create more mutually beneficial relationships between ourselves and the world around us. Creative re-use facilitates dialogue on our consumer choices and profiles waste materials such as single-use plastics as valuable resources.
Nadine has partnered with Inner West Council Sydney, Knox City Council, Ballarat Art Gallery, Brisbane City Council, Out of the Box Festival and Moreton Bay Region Libraries to deliver arts learning experiences. She is a recipient of the LUMAS Gallery and Sequana Partners Arts Grant Program 2020. Select projects include a solo outdoor exhibition titled Microbes Floating in a Sea for Knox City Council; collaborative sculpture with Jane Du Rand in Make It: Tools, Technique and Time at Artisan; Cnidaria Bubble Dress for World Environment Day with Brisbane City Council (2019); exhibition and residency with soil and water scientists at the Department of Science and the Environment (2018); artist residency with Inner West Council, Sydney; and Rainforest Mural and artist residency with Oakleigh State School (2017). Nadine holds a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education (Visual Arts) and has nine years experience developing learning programs and resources for Reverse Garbage Queensland and Museum of Brisbane.
2021 SWELL ARTWORK – Coral Fluorescence, Nadine Schmoll
Coral Fluorescence explores the impact of plastic waste and climate change on our marine environment. Translucent coral polyps shine with fluorescence at night, a phenomenon some corals exhibit to protect themselves from rising sea temperatures.
Time spent living on the Great Barrier Reef has proven invaluable. If we observe closely, nature illuminates possibilities towards building resilience, sustainability and strengthening the connections between ourselves and our planet.
This artwork is made by hand sculpting and dyeing single use plastic bottles into coral polyp forms, lit from within by solar powered LEDs.
SWELL Kids Artist Statement – Coral Fluorescence, Nadine Schmoll
Did you know that some corals glow in the dark? As well as looking very colourful, the glow or fluorescence they create is a natural sunscreen that protects the coral from too much ultraviolet (UV) light.
Imagine if humans could glow like corals to protect themselves from the sun the way that corals do. What colour would you glow?
Instagram: @nadine.schmoll
Website: www.nadine-schmoll.com
Come and see for yourself at SWELL Sculpture Festival, Pacific Parade, Currumbin 10-19 September.