As a 3D artist, I rely on my choice of materials to complement both the form and concept of my pieces. I’ve been working mainly in plaster for the past year, but have been incorporating transparency into my work utilizing plastic, glass, and even random packing materials. Basically, if it’s clear, I’m hoarding it for later use. One of my goals this semester is to expand my knowledge of other sculpture mediums and use it to broaden the scope of my work.

The main way I plan to do this is through using resin- which I already purchased but never got around to trying. I first need to plan out a project (resin isn’t that cheap, so I don’t want to waste any) and buy an appropriate respirator to filter out nasty fumes from the product. Then I’ll need to set up my molds in an area with proper ventilation while pouring and leave them until the product cures. It won’t be a process as easy as a plaster pour, but I’m excited for the possibilities I can explore by testing out this new material.

Another way I plan to incorporate a more diverse set of materials into my work is through metal, as I have been trying to figure out how to tie the ideas behind my thesis work into my semester-long project proposal for Jewelry/Metals III. I’ve been researching Modernist jewelers and how they treat jewelry as an extension of the body, while focusing on using alternative materials and simple forms to effectively convey a message. In my case, my alternative material would be plaster, and I anticipate having to test a lot of ways to combine these materials as they have completely different properties. Let the trial-and-error begin.