The idea of choosing to create something based simply off of active verbs can both add and take away meaning from a piece. With the given set of verbs, I decided to push the boundaries of what on can do with an object. With my block of wood, I decided to focus on the verb ‘Droop’ as that is not something that can really be done with a solid object. I found it very exciting to think about pushing the idea of distorting states of matter and making liquids become solid and solids become liquid. Using the sawdust I collected from sawing up the wood and distorting its shape, I created a ‘liquid’ to droop over my sculpture by adding water. In hindsight, I wish I had developed this idea further as I could make some very interesting experiments melting glass perhaps, or plastic and messing around with states of matter to create abstract pieces.
During the week I experimented with making from paper, weaving it into wire, and folding it to create different shapes and silhouettes, but I decided to start working on more lengthly pieces for this project.
For the rest of the week I had created glass mosaic pieces looking at the verbs: ‘break’, ‘shatter’, ‘reassemble’ and ‘impress’. Recently inspired by Andrew Logan who works with mirrors and mosaic, I worked on this collection. I wanted to focus on light distortion, reflection and repeated patterns. I mostly cut the glass into triangles as it is a simple shape to create patterns with and easy to cut. In reflection, I would have liked to have made my work more large scale and used artificial lighting in a dark room, like a cupboard to create more of an installation piece of light reflection; drawing from a previous design of making a sensory experience with lights and mirrored objects.
I made 4 pieces in all for the final crit. After tutorials on using plaster, wax, silicone, alginate and vacuum moulding, I decided to continue the project using plaster and poly fillers to create my mosaic pieces. I used solely found wood and glass to create my mirror and cubes so I am happy with the sustainability of my pieces. I would also like to practice working with glass more in the future and working on skills such as cutting small scale and cutting curves in the glass.
The feedback I received from others was very beneficial to me. It was in a way successful that my work was simple as the colours in the rest of the room from other work and the people in the room in a way completed the piece. The plinth I made also had triangular shapes in it which ‘embodied’ the shapes of the mirrors. The group also liked the use of the plaster casted hand a plinth. It was referred to as ‘captivating’. To improve, I should have created more interesting shapes in the mosaic form possibly to escalate this sense of distortion that the triangular collaged mirrors creates. Adding more lights to the piece and placing it in a dark room would also make the piece come more alive. The group also thought the piece would be more interesting if the pice was less static, so possibly hanging them to create movement and use light to make reflections.
