Last week we talked about science in art but never got a chance to finish our discussion. I would like to conclude this topic with one of my pieces titled Cells. This piece is special to me because it was the first time I worked with the amazing material resin, a viscous liquid that hardens like plastic. Resin + Me: My love for resin started in a cosmic way. One semester at university I felt creatively blocked and very uninspired. In an attempt to regain my artistic juices I wandered the library in search of inspiration. Row after row, book after book...nothing. Feeling dissatisfied and frustrated I stood in the middle of a row of books. I closed my eyes and prayed, wished and hoped for some kind of inspiration. In that moment a particular book grabbed my attention. I opened it and out fell a small book hidden between the pages. I looked down at the fallen book, and there it was...a book about resin. My heart skipped a beat and deemed this incident as fate. I don't recall the book and didn't use resin right away, but the thought of resin lingered in my mind until I was ready. The material is now a consistent medium I love to work with, although I have been searching for a more eco-friendly version. Amazing how things work out.
About the piece: Cells was a creative step for me...I used new materials and actually listened to my instincts. Notice a similarity to Ailments? Both pieces are about the body and incorporate red string and wax. Cells dealt more with the creative process, which included making tubes from woven copper to stand in the resin. I was obsessed with tubes...something about their shape and infinite nature. These elements came together to form a piece resembling skin, blood vessels and bodily cells. I also molded the resin to mimic a curved back and form a deeper association to the human body.
This piece was featured in an art show where I was able to watch the public reactions. Future doctors and science majors peered through the translucent resin perplexed with curiosity. Others probably thought I was a crazy-weird art student! I realized that even if you don't study biological sciences or become a doctor, you are still capable of using science in art to make an impact.
Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I did creating it.
33 comments:
It is awesome Pleasie. What a great job. Love the resin art. Really really attractive. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us all.
i love to read about the process behind the piece - it's so interesting. what are you working on now ... hmmmm?
Diana, it's amazing!!! I want to know what you do with your pieces? Where are they kept? You have some amazing talent, no wonder you feel stifled at your position :)
wow! this is resin? it looks so delicate, like tissue paper. i love how you explore the connection between art and science in your art; i never really thought about it before. post more of your work! it's beautiful, and your passion really shines through [which is just as beautiful!]
i love resin, too! and i agree that this piece is *amazing.* you should definitely show more of your work on your blog!!
Ditto on Krissy's and the other positive comments. With your signature being 'Keep creating,' I hope you're following your own advice! This piece really is incredible.
This is an incredible piece of work, Diana! I'm so intrigued by it, and the process and the materials. This piece has so much movement and curiosity involved in it! WOW! I'm so, so glad you posted some of your work!
Thanks for your comments! Oh this piece is sitting in my spare closet...ehhh...I know, I know...bad! I am trying to create new art. Resin is very expensive, so I would love to find a cheaper, eco-friendly version.
WOW Diana, this is really cool. I love the description you provided about your inspiration and thought process for creating the piece. It is very organic, and actually it makes me think of some type of sea creature. I too would love to see more of your work.
WOW THIS IS CRAZY!!! I love learning about your creative process. And I giggled when you mentioned it was in your closet :)
OMG that piece looks so physiological. It looks like real human tissue... the colours and textures... you sooo got it! A-M xx
wonderful. and i too appreciate the concept behind the piece.
Soooo cool. Wow, you should be super proud of this piece. And the story behind how you were inspired is pretty amazing...I wish things would fall out of library books when I'm looking for inspiration! :-)
so interesting, thanks for the information!
The first thing that came to my mind was intestines, and that is cool. I'm a freak for medical things. I really like this piece a lot.
That looks really cool! A LONG time ago... my grandma used to volunteer at this little thrift shop called the Rummage House (how I wish I could go there now!) and I found an old book on resin. I loved looking at that thing, and still love the look of it. I have never tried doing anything with it though.
I thought it was so cool when I looked at the picture, but loved it 10 times more when I saw that you created it! I want to see more : )
wow..what a piece! I immediately thogught about blood cells the moment I saw it without reading anything else..and thought about the previous post on X-ray! So talented :D
Diana! What a fantastic piece!!!!!! You remind me of one of my favorite artists: Kiki Smith.
What an amazing piece. I so enjoyed reading about how you got your inspiration and how you went about the creative process. I love the way a project evolves as one works on it. It can be very exciting.
Clare
I am so behind on your blog and its only been a day!
1. I love the vintage finds, especially the octopus pop-up.
2. I have kitchen love...New York Town House..fantastic light.
3.I think your resin art project is fun. My kids have a book with enlarged images of the human body..cells,bone, etc..and I always thought it would be interesting artwork.
How fun!! This piece is so pretty!!
i really enjoy seeing your work diana! i love working with resin too. but oh, the fumes!
I'm in love with a resin too,but I never try to use it,you did great work!
i think i looking at your piece from a biological pt. of view, very fascinating.
Wow, really unique and creative! x
Great story! This is beautiful - In one of the pictures the shapes remind me of jelly fish that you see at some aquariums which I always love to sit and watch.
I didn't read everyone comments, but I am sure everyone has said they enjoyed reading the history of the piece. I love to hear the inspiration. Great work!
Have always wanted to make custom belt buckles from resin for some reason??!!
Thanks for all the amazing comments!
i'm so happy you're still in a creative mindset. it's easy to let our jobs turn into creative vampires!
I saw this go up on the blog the other day and just thought wow. I've been trying to give myself time to collect my thoughts, to try and articulate how amazing this is, but I'm at a loss. Just wow.
(And it really deserves somewhere better than the closet!)
Terrific post and artwork! Love the story behind this piece. Your work is intelligent and fascinating, and I would love to see more!
Wow! What a spectacular piece. I am in love with your love of science and art. It is inspirational! I want to see more! And resin! There is definitely something aobut resin. If used in a certain way, it evokes associations with the human body. Viscosity, bodily fluids, lipoidal. I agree with heidi on this one...reminds me of Kiki Smith.
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