How it all got started...

May 2020. I knew absolutely nothing about resin. I had just arrived in a new country, smack bang in the middle of a pandemic. Creation has always been in my genes. It was also my escape from the humdrum of corporate life.

So there I was, hell bent on making mosaics and mixed media. But wait. I could not source all the mosaic tiles I wanted. I was on the hunt for specific tiles, which for the life of me I could not source in Canada.

Also having injured my arm before leaving South Africa, I could definitely not afford to get into #CuttingWars with the mosaic nippers. One way around this is to use tiles in various sizes and shapes as they are, without the cutting and nipping required when cutting larger pieces.

How I stumbled on epoxy resin and its endless possibilities remains somewhere in the foggy recesses of my art addled brain. But I did...and down the rabbit hole I went.

Now I have to give a shout out to all the artists, tutors and mentors on You-Tube. Your tutorials on resin were invaluable and gave me a very good starting point. Thank you for your time and effort, this arty crafty very much appreciates them. In time, I too will do tutorials, giving back to the budding art community I so enjoy.

Right, back to the rabbit hole. It all started with chocolate and baking molds and went south from there. I created various resin mosaic tiles in so many colour combinations and so quickly, I voraciously consumed gallons of resin in the process, in what seemed to be the blink of an eye.

My trial by fire was an old wooden bench (slightly rotten) that I decided needed to become an art piece for the garden. Oh, and let me say here, being the rebellious artist that I am, I broke several rules of mosaicking. Deliberately. This may well come back to haunt me. To date, this bench is still a work in progress and a project I hope to complete by the end of spring 2021. Who knew such a small thing could be so much hard work eh?

Now I have to say that in my enthusiasm I have managed to flash cure resin (dancing around the backyard holding a smoking silicone jug is not fun at all). I have also set my mold on fire (reading AND absorb the instructions on alcohol sinker may have helped to avoid this predicament).

The latest disaster involved silicone, acrylic blanks and a fit of pique. Add all parts B to A or else you are left with silicone soup that clings to everything and refuses to budge. Not even degreaser moves that soup out of engraved acrylic blanks.

Why do you ask would I share my tales of woe? Well, stuff happens, even to seasoned artists and it is funny (a week or two after the fact). I hope my tales will make you chuckle and save you a headache or two down your own artistic road.

I enjoyed creating these mosaic pieces so much, I decided that I would make a business out of it. Those who enjoy mixed media and mosaicking or a combination of both, may find a piece or three in the product catalogue.

Until next time.

Tally ho!

©Lucia Steeg, The Messy Meerkat, February 2021

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