Gelly: An Exploration of Acrylic Gel Medium Sculptures
Location
CSU 202
Start Date
16-4-2013 10:05 AM
End Date
16-4-2013 11:05 AM
Student's Major
Art
Student's College
Arts and Humanities
Mentor's Name
James Johnson
Mentor's Department
Art
Mentor's College
Arts and Humanities
Description
Acrylic gel medium is typically used as an additive material for two-dimensional works of art. My work focuses on acrylic gel medium’s potential to be used three-dimensionally. This plastic polymer can be shaped while still in its liquid form and dry solid in its manipulated form. My projects include several different types of gel medium which I apply to molds, lay out to dry as sheets, or pour over objects. I manipulate the gel into naturalistic forms that can hang, stand alone or be mounted on a wall. Some works include a light from within the object to ephasize texture, while others twist in a way that resembles ceramics. No matter how they are displayed, each objects shares some level of transparency, a result of the oxidation process. The oxidation process of the gel has also been an exciting challenge because, based on how the gel dries, it can be sticky, solid, opaque, clear, stretchy or rigid. Any additives to the gel, for example salt or copper, are therefore affected by oxidation. My experimentations have yielded many successes, but each work creates another question. Because there is little documented experimentation of gel medium being used sculpturally, I look to the methods of past artists dealing with the same lack of information as myself. Their exploration exhibit clues for my own project and guides me to understand failed pieces as successes. The Gelly project continues to spark new ideas and methods, which demand to be explored.
Gelly: An Exploration of Acrylic Gel Medium Sculptures
CSU 202
Acrylic gel medium is typically used as an additive material for two-dimensional works of art. My work focuses on acrylic gel medium’s potential to be used three-dimensionally. This plastic polymer can be shaped while still in its liquid form and dry solid in its manipulated form. My projects include several different types of gel medium which I apply to molds, lay out to dry as sheets, or pour over objects. I manipulate the gel into naturalistic forms that can hang, stand alone or be mounted on a wall. Some works include a light from within the object to ephasize texture, while others twist in a way that resembles ceramics. No matter how they are displayed, each objects shares some level of transparency, a result of the oxidation process. The oxidation process of the gel has also been an exciting challenge because, based on how the gel dries, it can be sticky, solid, opaque, clear, stretchy or rigid. Any additives to the gel, for example salt or copper, are therefore affected by oxidation. My experimentations have yielded many successes, but each work creates another question. Because there is little documented experimentation of gel medium being used sculpturally, I look to the methods of past artists dealing with the same lack of information as myself. Their exploration exhibit clues for my own project and guides me to understand failed pieces as successes. The Gelly project continues to spark new ideas and methods, which demand to be explored.
Recommended Citation
Moriarty, Megan. "Gelly: An Exploration of Acrylic Gel Medium Sculptures." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/oral-session-03/1
