I don’t begin crocheting until I have a clear conceptual destination. I don’t know what it will look like when I get there, but I must have a defined story to articulate. The smallest material and form decision, and there are many, must be made to answer the narrative relationships. Something like, “this” specific relationship in the story would look like “that” in the material language. The more (in numbers or frequency) formal or material decisions relate to the specificity of the story being translated, the more relatable or readable the new form will be.

Because these forms are abstractions, I do not expect that the audience will read exactly what I wrote. I do believe however, that if I do it right, the viewers’ will experience something that their individual histories will relate to and that experience will be in line with the intended narrative.

If not, fine. As long as people relate on some level, I’m happy. I need something specific to articulate because not saying anything at all does limit the possibility of creating new form. I’m into creation of new form. Something you have not seen before or that often, anyway.

 

Polyester resin. Polyester resin is a liquid plastic. I use Hard Finish Resin. This resin hardens to a waxy surface which eliminates the perpetual resin smell and tacky surface of regular laminating resin. In it’s original liquid form, it has the consistency of syrup. I use 8 ounces at a time so that I can control it.

• I pour out 8 ounces of resin into a mixing cup.
• If I add dye to the resin to add color, I do so now.
• I have approximately 25 minutes to work with this prepared resin batch. I apply the mixed resin to a portion of the crocheted fiberglass cloth with a 2” brush, work it in well, and gently squeeze out the excess.
• The fiberglass turns translucent immediately. It clings to itself, stretches endlessly if pulled, puddles, looses all form, just wants to becomes a wet lump of stuff. It’s like free-forming yogurt. During the 25 or so minutes, I need to apply the resin, take out the excess, and find a way to support the wet part of the fiberglass in the form that I need it to retain, making sure that I don’t end up with stretch darts if they are not a part of the form.
• After that initial 25 or so minutes, the resin begins to set. Sort of like Jello sets in that it no longer moves. The form is set. But, if taken off its support mechanism, the form would collapse.
• In 24 hours, the fiberglass is hard and translucent.

The overall form is affected by the sequence of the resin application. You know that I have to apply the resin small amounts at one time because the initial set time is so fast. This is a good thing. It allows for more creativity within the overall form. When wet with resin, the fiberglass stretches. When dry, it does not. So, if the wet is in the center of a dry area or along an edge, it will end up in a completely different shape when it finally stops stretching. This single aspect of the material allows the form to do its material thing, which I cannot control. I can try to predict and thereby direct, but it always does something unexpected. I welcome this runaway behavior because it saves me from making predictable moves. The material is inherently much more creative and clever then I am. It is the equal partnership of our two voices, mine and the material’s, that produces successful, interesting, readable new forms. It is in this resin stage that the form is found.

Sanding. After all of the fiberglass has been formed in resin and has hardened for at least 24 hours, I have to sand it. It does not come out clean. Fiberglass splinters stick out all over and the edges are mucked up with excess resin. With a fine grit sandpaper made for fiberglass sanding, I take down all spiky stuff from the inside areas using a large sheet, which goes pretty fast. Then, I cut small squares of the sandpaper and hand sand all of the edges. This has an effect of focusing the form.

At this point, I am done!! Unless I wish to apply surface color. Sometimes I need to paint in a color or paint out a color. For surface painting, I use an outdoor solvent based enamel. I started with the Rust-o-leum Enamels which have a very limited color palette. In the future, I plan on getting a couple of blues, reds, and yellows mixed at the paint store that resemble artists colors so that when I mix them my palette will not be so limited.