|
|
|
FERN
MERCIER
I’m Fern
Mercier and I’ve been practicing my
twin passions of Astrology and Tarot for over 30 years. I am a reader,
writer, columnist and educator. Auckland city, New Zealand is my home
base.
Tarot and Astrology are ancient language
systems that can bring insight and healing into our modern lives. I
use and teach these disciplines in the old traditions of divination
(fortune-telling) as well as a meditative path to self-understanding.
I practice Tarot and Astrology in a
variety of ways. You can consult me in person or by phone. I teach both
subjects in ongoing classes and one-off workshops and talks.
I can organise Tarot/Astrological
readings, talks or presentations for a party in your own home, or for
a corporate or conference function.
If you want a reading (Astrological
or Tarot) in person or by phone,
please email fernmm@ihug.co.nz
or phone 64 9 361 3292
to make an appointment.
Fern’s Background
I have a Bachelor of Arts in history and English from Otago University
(1968). I discovered tarot in the early 1970s whilst in Europe and
my first deck of cards was a 16th century woodcut reprint from the
British Museum.
I practiced as a consultant for many years before I began teaching
both Astrology and Tarot in 1990. I mostly taught through Community
Education throughout Auckland and occasionally in other parts of New
Zealand. In 1995 I became an 0900 tarot phone worker on the first
0900 line (Smilelines) and was also a script writer for a variety
of telephone lines. These days I prefer working in one-to-one consultations,
writing and teaching privately. My year-long Diploma in Tarot course
is particularly popular and absorbing. I am also involved in tarot
art and art history and organizing events or tours that celebrate
these.
|
|
Publications I have written for:
- The Herstory Diaries 1977-78
Contributor researcher, writer and publisher for The Dunedin Collective
for Woman.
- Changing our Lives 1991
Contributed a chapter in this NZ book edited by Maud Cahill and Christine
Dann.
- Broadsheet Magazine 1993- 96
Feature writer
- Rainbow News Magazine 1995 –99
Resident star sign columnist and feature writer.
- Jade (Independent Newspapers) 1997- 98
Star sign columnist
- Herstar 1998 Astrology and Feminism.
Contributor to this US publication that marked the 150th Anniversary
of the US Women’s Rights Movement.
- Truth (Independent Newspapers) 1999-2001
Star sign columnist.
- Sunday Star Times (Fairfax Group) 2002 – 2004
Star sign columnist.
- Rainbow News August 2006
Columnist “It’s In The Stars”
- Weekly star column in Northland's newspaper 'The Northern
Advocate' from July 2007 - May 2009
Radio and Television
I appeared in The Profilers (TVNZ
– Touchdown Studios) in 2003 and 2004 as one of the profilers
in several shows.
I was also featured on Some of My Best Friends
are Psychics with Pio Turei in 2004.
On Kiwi FM radio on a spot called The Celestial Schedule,
featuring astrological news and views, I talked with Karyn Hay and Andrew
Fagan on Kiwi FM’s Breakfast Show, once a week
for 2 years. 2005 -07.
On 95BFM on the Morning Glory Show with the lovely Charlotte, I spent a couple of years 2009-2010, talking astrology and tarot as well as answering listeners’ questions.
Da Vinci Code Tours.
Following the Da Vinci Code trail through Europe, fellow guide Cosmica
Oosting and myself escorted interested groups of travelers following
the trail laid out in Dan brown’s best-selling novel. Our small
group tours examined some of the themes, sites and great artworks .
Our quest took us through Rome, Milan, Paris, London and Edinburgh.
|
Event
Organiser
arcana
This world-first Art Extravaganza took place during the first
weekend of September 2006.
arcana showcased
artwork by an exciting range of established and emerging artists
– all of whom explored the rich source of inspiration of
the ancient European playing cards known as tarot.
This was the first time an event of this type was held anywhere
in the world. Over 60 contributors exhibited, including painters
and photographers, fashion and costume designers, mosaic, tattoo,
graffiti and textile artists see Tarot Events
Stoppress! Southern Symposium June 17th-19th 2011.
Auckland will be hosting another original tarot event organised by Lyn Howarth-Olds and myself. Read more about this exciting Trans-Tasman collaboration here.
arcana Art to Italy
A new International Tarot
Art Museum opened in June 2007 in Riola, near Bologna, Italy.
On the request of this Museo, Fern (and friend) carried 16 pieces
of N.Z. artworks for permanent exhibition for the Inaugural Festivities.
Read all about it at on the Tarot Talk
page.
Literatarot
In 2007 and 2008, artists in New Zealand and Australia created
an Oceanic tarot deck on the theme 'great classics of literature'
- either contemporary or of the past. Lyn Olds and Fern Mercier
co-ordinated the 22 artists involved and we proudly present this
tarot deck below. It can also be viewed on the Museo dei Tarocchi’s
website, along with the American and Indian version of the same
series. Fern has a few of these original collectible art decks
for sale. Please contact her fernmm@ihug.co.nz
To view this marvellous tarot deck see Tarot
Events Page.
Australian Workshop Tour 2009
Hosted by the Australian Tarot Guild Australian
Tarot Guild , Fern travelled between Melbourne and Sydney during the month of July, teaching several workshops in both cities.
International Presenter
During July 2009 Fern was the keynote presenter at the Association for Tarot Studies Conference in Brisbane. She then modified the successful talk and Power point presentation “Tricks of the Trade – Lifting the Veil of the High Priestess” to present it by skype at the LETS Symposium in Sante Fe on the Day of the Dead – to the world. You can download this inspiring and informative presentation if you’re interested in oracles, sibyls and the history of High Priestess.
Fern will be again be presenting another original paper at the next Conference of the Association for Tarot Studies in Ste Suzanne, France in late September 2011.
|
|
|
