Friendship – Experiments and Feelings
First two experiments side by side
Over the past few weeks I’ve been experimenting with ‘painting’ in epoxy resin with mica powder. The idea came to my head was in respect of feelings of friendship. To express feelings within a medium that flows, with elements that are colourful, shimmering and multi-faceted felt appropriate.
I want to explore how different friendships feel and develop over time. These early experiments use epoxy resin and mica powder to capture emotions that are difficult to express in words, from instant connections to quieter, supportive relationships.
As always, I tend not to think about why when the idea occurs too much but the logic in the materials can often become apparent once the art of it has started.
I’ve also started to record my artistic creation sessions and editing the reels can be quite satisfying. Also with the added bonus that I can add some moving pictures to my process blogs.
Proof of Concept
First attempt, I had no idea whether this would work, I wasn’t sure how to introduce the mica powder to the epoxy, but I knew it shouldn’t go in straight after the pouring of the clear epoxy base, so I waited an hour or so. Then I dumped some mica of the colours I had in mind on a little plate and dipped the non brush end of a paintbrush into the epoxy base and then started to try and ‘stroke’ the mica as you would a paintbrush.
I’d say that it ‘sorta’ worked. The results felt a bit ‘stringy’ to me – not quite the fireworks I had in my mind when my first ‘friend’ came to mind to originate the series. The original idea was when you first meet someone, sometimes you know you’re going to be friends straight away and it’s almost like love at first sight but for friends. I suppose it is love, of the platonic kind. So, for the first experiment, it looked like my idea was promising and it was definitely enjoyable to sweep the mica through the still flowing but slightly solidified epoxy, but it needed some work.
not quite the fireworks expected.
‘Caring Friend’
Next attempt, I decided to throw the mica on top of the epoxy in a few little piles and then brush them upwards. This one went much better – I enjoyed it. But it still didn’t feel like the ‘fireworks.’
This second attempt was beautiful but still didn’t feel like ‘fast friend’ or ‘friends at first sight’ to me. I suppose that’s what’s interesting about abstract art. This developed itself into something else. This felt like another friend. A caring friend. Sometimes a bit overbearing but the love is there and they mean the best for you. So this one I am pleased with and it has a good place in the series I wish to make.
In fact, from the three that have been developed so far, it may be the only one that is going to make the final cut.
Shape and Feeling
Since experiment two left me with a piece that I was proud of, I now knew that a change of colour on a similar theme and I would be getting there for my first idea (I have several different motifs but I want to nail each one before moving on to the next, or trying to do them all at once.)
So, off I went with colours more befitting. When this one was underway, I was sure it was the one.
When making this, it looked like it was going to end as I wished, similar to the spread seen in II and the video below shows how well it looked. However, on solidifying, I am not satisfied. It’s interesting sure but the fireworks aren’t invoked, it’s all a bit wobbly. Unsure of itself and a little bit stringy in places, which seems to be the effect in these pieces that I really don’t like, unless I want to express some sort of insecurity, which I don’t want here.
The video shows that when being made, it looked exactly how I wanted. So now the trick for me is to try and work out what the right base epoxy consistency is to make sure that what is at the end of the process does not collapse into something else as we see here.
So, that’s the start of my friendship project. I can see me feeling the need to make many of these as I go through life. I feel deeply about my friends and maybe sometimes think too much, so this series will be a tribute and a way of processing thoughts and feelings – there will be a lot of rejects I think, but I plan to document them as I go.
From this batch, I think only II will make the final series. But who knows, maybe I’ll get some ideas for the other two to become part of consolidated works.
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