#the joy of melt and pour soap crafting

[lisamaliga]

8 Reasons to Love Lavender

By Lisa Maliga

Copyright 2025

Lavender plants love being in the sun and their roots need plenty of aeration. They grow in the city as well as in the country. Lavender is thought to have originated in India, but it thrives in the Mediterranean, France, Spain, Bulgaria, and Croatia. Successful crops of lavender come from many parts of the United States, Australia, Tasmania and South Africa.

The most common species of lavender is Lavandula angustifolia, which is referred to as English Lavender, or true lavender. Lavandula is the genus name which in Latin is lavandus and that means to be washed. [Similarly, the Spanish word for laundry is lavandaria]. Angustifolia means narrow leaved.

This versatile flower has many species that adapt to particular environments with low or high humidity, warmer temperatures, etc. While most people think of lavender as a purple flower, did you know it also comes with white, pink, and even yellow petals?

This popular plant has many uses. It is available as an essential oil, freshly picked, dried, as a tea, boiled into an infusion or in tincture forms. For culinary use, lavender can be found in jam, honey, dessert toppings, and baked into meat dishes.

Here are eight ways to benefit from lovely lavender.

[1] Stress relief. Have a headache? Too much work to do and not enough time to do it? Simply apply one drop of lavender essential oil to each temple and gently massage it in. If you have sensitive skin mix the lavender into a small amount of olive oil before applying.

[2] Helps heal minor burns and cuts. You can apply lavender essential oil directly to the injured area or mix it into a small amount of olive oil and apply.

[3] Potpourri. You can make Lavender Potpourri with this easy recipe:

Mix 1 cup dried lavender flowers with 1 Tablespoon orris root in a bowl. Add 2-3 drops lavender essential oil. Mix well and put in a nice bowl so that you can smell the wonderful aroma whenever you walk into the room.

[4] Bathing. Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your warm to hot bath water and relax.

[5] Sachet. In a small muslin bag, add a few tablespoon’s worth of dried lavender flowers. This can be added to your dresser drawers, or hung on a doorknob, or hung in your closet. It also is a fine substitute for mothballs!

[6] Shiny Hair. Add 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil to your hairbrush and brush the aroma of lavender into your hair.

[7] Room Freshener/Pillow Spray. Fill a spray mister bottle with distilled water and add 10 drops of lavender essential oil. This can be used in any room of the house. You can also spray it on your pillow so you can have a good night’s sleep.

[8] Launder with Lavender. You can add lavender essential oil to your detergent, rinse cycle, and wool dryer balls.

Lavender helps you and your environment smell cleaner, fresher, and more floral.

Throughout history, this marvelous flower has shown us its usefulness in being more than just a decorative flower but one that can help soothe and relax us.

Make lavender soap! Check out The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting for some recipes!

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[happydealhappydays]

Elevate your Christmas Joy with Homemade Christmas Soap Recipe

The holiday season is a time for sharing warmth, love, and unique gifts with our friends and family. What better way to show your emotions and excitement than by crafting homemade Christmas gifts? These delightful, handcrafted presents not only make for practical and beautiful gifts but also offer a personal touch that can brighten anyone's holiday. But what is that unique idea that you can opt for? Well, it’s time to get ahead of store-bought presents like glassware and decor candles.

You can try the Melt and Pour Christmas Soap Recipe to craft the best homemade festive soaps and express your joy for the season. There are a plethora of online resources where you can find attractive and easy recipes to gift delightful homemade creations that are filled with thought and care. The best part is that these treats require no lye, extensive equipment, or curing time, making it a hassle-free and beginner-friendly craft.

What Makes Homemade Christmas Soap a Treasured Gift Idea for 2023?

While store-bought presents are undoubtedly wonderful, there is something truly special and unique about crafting your own gifts. These handcrafted keepsakes not only serve a practical purpose but also carry a personal touch that warms the hearts of those who receive them. This allows you to infuse your gifts with the spirit of the season and gives you the chance to customize the present according to specific needs. You can select fragrances, colors, and designs that reflect the festive spirit.

The time and effort invested in crafting these beautiful bars of soap speak volumes about the care you have for your loved ones. And why not? It encourages self-care and adds a touch of luxury to your daily routine. So what are you waiting for? Try this tempting and reliable Homemade Christmas Soap Recipe and showcase your festive creativity. Now all you have to do is arrange attractive Christmas decor items to present these personalized, luxurious creations and make them even more charming.

[wilsonaron]

Suds and Scents: Join Our Melt and Pour Soap Making Class

Welcome to Suds and Scents, the ultimate journey into the world of artisanal soap crafting. If you've ever wanted to create beautiful, customized soaps infused with your favorite scents and colors, then look no further. Our Melt and Pour Soap Making Class is designed to unleash your creativity while teaching you the essential techniques of soap making.

Why Melt and Pour Soap Making?

Melt and Pour soap making is an excellent starting point for beginners and a favorite among seasoned crafters alike. Unlike traditional cold process soap making, which involves working with lye and requires precise measurements and safety precautions, Melt and Pour soap making offers a more straightforward and user-friendly approach.

In our class, you'll learn to work with pre-made soap bases that you simply melt, customize with your preferred colors, scents, and additives, and then pour into molds to create stunning, one-of-a-kind bars of soap. It's a fun and satisfying process that allows for endless creativity and experimentation.

What You'll Learn ?

During our Melt and Pour Soap Making Class, you'll embark on a hands-on journey where you'll learn the following:

Introduction to Soap Making: We'll begin with an overview of the soap making process, including the different types of soap bases available, essential tools and equipment, and safety precautions.

Choosing Ingredients: Explore a variety of natural ingredients, essential oils, fragrance oils, botanicals, and colorants to personalize your soap creations. Learn how to select ingredients that complement each other and create the perfect blend for your desired scent and aesthetic.

Melting and Pouring: Master the art of melting soap bases using various methods, such as the microwave or double boiler technique. Discover tips and tricks for achieving the ideal consistency and temperature for pouring.

Adding Scents and Colors: Dive into the world of fragrance oils and essential oils, and learn how to properly incorporate them into your soap. Experiment with different colorants, such as micas, oxides, and natural colorants, to create vibrant and eye-catching designs.

Customizing Your Soap: Get creative with additives like exfoliants, moisturizers, herbs, and botanicals to enhance the texture and benefits of your soap. Learn how to layer, swirl, and embed ingredients for visually stunning effects.

Molding and Curing: Explore a variety of soap molds and techniques for molding your soap creations. Discover how to properly unmold and cure your soaps to ensure they're ready for use or gifting.

Why Choose Our Class?

Our Melt and Pour Soap Making Class offers more than just a basic tutorial on soap making. It's a comprehensive learning experience led by experienced instructors who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and helping you unleash your creativity. Here's what sets us apart.

Expert Guidance: Our instructors are seasoned soap makers with years of experience in the craft. They'll provide step-by-step guidance, troubleshooting tips, and personalized assistance to ensure your success.

Quality Materials: We provide high-quality soap bases, fragrance oils, essential oils, colorants, and additives sourced from reputable suppliers. You'll have access to a wide range of premium ingredients to create your dream soap creations.

Inspiration and Support: Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned crafter, our class is designed to inspire and empower you to explore your creativity. You'll have the opportunity to share ideas, ask questions, and connect with fellow soap enthusiasts in a supportive and welcoming environment.

Join Us Today.

Ready to embark on your soap making journey? Join us for our upcoming Melt and Pour Soap Making Class and discover the joy of crafting your own custom soaps. Whether you're looking to make unique gifts for loved ones or indulge in a fun and therapeutic hobby, our class has something for everyone. Sign up now and get ready to suds, scent, and create to your heart's content.

[organicsoapformen]

Dive into the world of DIY organic beauty with our homemade lip balm tutorial! Crafted with love and nourishing ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter, this lip balm will keep your lips soft, smooth, and oh-so-kissable. Customize with your favorite essential oils for a delightful fragrance. Follow these simple steps for a natural lip care treat: melt, mix, pour, and cool. Voilà! Your homemade organic lip balm is ready to use. Embrace the joy of crafting your own skincare and indulge in the goodness of nature. shop organic soaps www.thevedictouch.com #DIYBeauty #OrganicSkincare #LipBalmTutorial #NaturalIngredients #homemadebeauty

[theearthelement]

Unleashing Creativity: Melt and Pour Soap Base Adventures

In the realm of soap crafting, the artistry of making your own soap goes beyond mere cleanliness—it becomes a canvas for creativity. One exciting avenue for expressing your imaginative flair is through the versatile and user-friendly medium known as Melt and Pour Soap Base. This article is a guide to embarking on an adventure that not only cleanses but allows you to unleash your creativity in the process.

Understanding Melt and Pour Soap Base:

Melt and Pour Soap Base is a pre-made soap that simplifies the soap-making process, making it accessible to beginners and enticing for seasoned crafters. As the name suggests, this base is melted, and you can pour it into molds to create custom soap designs. It comes in various formulations, including glycerin, goat's milk, shea butter, and more, each offering unique properties for your creations.

The Adventure Begins:

Choosing Your Base: The first step in your Melt and Pour Soap adventure is selecting the right base. Consider the properties you want in your soap—whether it's the moisturizing effect of shea butter, the clarity of glycerin, or the nourishing qualities of goat's milk.

Colorful Additions: Melt and Pour Soap Base is like a blank canvas, waiting to be infused with color. Explore cosmetic-grade soap dyes, micas, or natural additives like turmeric or spirulina to create a spectrum of vibrant hues. Mixing and blending colors will be a thrilling part of your creative journey.

Fragrance Play: Elevate your soap adventure by incorporating enticing scents. Essential oils and fragrance oils offer a wide array of choices, from soothing lavender to zesty citrus. The aromatic journey is as important as the visual one, allowing you to tailor your soap to your preferred scent profile.

Texture and Design: Melt and Pour Soap Base allows you to experiment with textures and designs effortlessly. Add exfoliants like crushed herbs or coffee grounds for a spa-like touch, or layer different colors to create mesmerizing patterns. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Personalized Molds: Elevate your soap creations by investing in unique molds. From classic shapes to intricate designs, molds enable you to craft soaps that reflect your personality and style. Silicone molds are particularly convenient for releasing your creations easily.

Layering Techniques: Embrace layering as a technique to add depth and visual interest to your soap. Pouring different colors in stages allows you to create multi-dimensional and visually stunning bars.

Incorporating Botanicals: For a touch of nature, consider adding dried flowers, herbs, or botanicals to your soap. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also provides a sensory experience with every use.

Customizing for Occasions: Melt and Pour Soap Base adventures are perfect for crafting personalized gifts or favors for special occasions. From weddings to birthdays, you can create themed soaps that leave a lasting impression.

The Joy of Gifting and Sharing:

One of the most rewarding aspects of Melt and Pour Soap Base adventures is the joy of sharing your creations. Handcrafted soaps make thoughtful and unique gifts for friends and family. You can tailor each soap to suit individual preferences, making the act of gifting a truly personal experience.

Conclusion:

Unleashing your creativity with Melt and Pour Soap Base is a delightful adventure that goes beyond the practicality of soap-making. It's a journey of self-expression, exploration, and the joy of bringing beauty and uniqueness into your daily routine. So, gather your supplies, set your imagination free, and let the Melt and Pour Soap Base adventure begin—a journey where each soap becomes a work of art crafted with love and creativity.

Original Content: https://medium.com/@theearthelementsoap/unleashing-creativity-melt-and-pour-soap-base-adventures-a3106e8dd424

[missmichellebelle]

the gentle kindness of candles

Eren’s using a double-boiler, like he’s preparing fondue rather than magical candles.

aka I started writing this for Valentine’s Day and never finished but decided to post it anyway eeeey

ereri. by the wick of a candle verse. [ ao3 ] 1.7k

“So what do witches do for Valentine’s Day?”

It’s not the question that Levi means to ask.

He doesn’t mean to ask any question, or say anything at all, and yet… There it is.

Eren is making candles. The practice is surprisingly traditional, involving far less magic than Levi would have anticipated. “Magic doesn’t work that way,” Eren had explained to him, the first time he had seen Eren do something like craft his soaps by hand. “I can’t just create things from nothing. The magic needs something to… Hold on to. Like a conduit.”

Like most of the times Eren explains how magic works to him, Levi nods in understanding despite not really understanding any of it.

He’s melting wax in what is, sadly, not any kind of cauldron. He’s using a double-boiler, like he’s preparing fondue rather than magical candles. The only thing fairly magic about the entire thing is where his hand hovers over the pot, palm angled and fingers splayed, the only possible thing that is causing the wax to waver between its natural sallow yellow color and a pastel lavender.

Eren doesn’t even look up, his eyes never leaving his work, but his lips crack in a smile.

“What?”

Levi had been thinking about Valentine’s Day. It’s a week away, but he’s been thinking about it since the beginning of January, when storefronts went from jolly to romantic, all reds and pinks and hearts and frills. It’s been an impending sense of doom since Levi had seen his first bouquet of faux roses, a swirling feeling of panic that has been consistent in the pit of his stomach.

He doesn’t… Do Valentine’s Day. He’s never had to. Any relationship he’s had in the past has been a flash in the pan or, if it did last longer, never stretched past Christmas. The fact that Eren stayed through Christmas, through December, and through Levi’s seasonal depression and aloofness, is new. Someone had kissed him when the clock had struck midnight, tucked onto Eren’s overstuffed couch, glitter hovering in the air around them, and Levi still can’t quite believe it five weeks later.

So what he had been thinking of was what the fuck regular people do during Valentine’s Day.

What had come out of his mouth was, well… That.

“You know,” Eren continues as Levi remains silent, his fingers drawing flush together as his eyebrows pinch in concentration. They spring apart quickly, and there’s a pushback on Eren’s palm, the wax settling in its final purple state. “I go around, pricking people with needles dipped in love potion, or I drag dream catchers through the air between couples to capture the essence of their love.”

The silence that follows is so complete and so still that Eren’s sudden laugh shatters it.

“Kidding, I’m kidding.” He looks over at Levi then, green eyes round and bouncing between mirth and concern. “Fuck, you’d think after all this time, you wouldn’t take me so seriously.” He picks up a small bottle that reminds Levi of the containers they keep olive oil in at Italian restaurants. Whatever’s inside eases down the straw in drops, and Levi is hit with the overwhelming smell of lavender. “We’ve been together for, like, three or four months now.”

Levi blinks rapidly—has it really been three or four months? They’d started dating in… What? October, November? Huh. Seems like it. He’s consciously aware that three or four months is a decent chunk of time, and yet… It seems like the time he’s been with Eren has been a lot longer.

Wryly, Levi wonders if it’s some sort of magic.

“I celebrate Valentine’s Day the way most people do,” Eren adds. “Although if we’re discussing plans, I’d like to make you dinner.”

“You would?” Levi asks, watching as Eren pours some other liquid into his hands. It smells minty, and he rubs it between his skin before letting it drip slowly off his palm and into the pot. It’s not like Eren hasn’t cooked for him before. He’d cooked for Levi all the time, before the whole I’m a witch conversation. A little less, after that, but Levi likes to think he’s slightly more comfortable with the idea now than he had been back in the beginning of December.

“Yeah.” Eren’s moved on to handling the wicks, and Levi watches as he runs his fingers over the string, can see the subtle shimmer that instills itself in the fiber before fading. “At your apartment.”

It shouldn’t be a surprising request. Eren has been to Levi’s apartment. Eren has slept over at Levi’s apartment. He’s made pancakes in Levi’s kitchen.

Except that was also, mostly, before.

Since Eren had, for lack of a better term, come out of the magical closet, Levi predominantly goes to Eren’s apartment. Enjoys the buzz in the atmosphere that he is now fairly certain is actual magic. Still hates the candles, and the clutter, but likes the way Eren will catch Levi staring a little too intently at one of his artifacts and explain what it does. But mostly, he likes how Eren is in his own apartment. How he uses magic freely before Levi’s eyes, an ease to his movements that speaks of contentment and comfort.

“At my apartment,” Levi finally echoes, unsure of how he feels about the request.

Eren has finished securing the wicks in his candle molds, has a hand pressed to the metal of his double boiler in a way that winds Levi’s shoulders up tight, makes him want to jump into action and snipe what the fuck are you doing, you dumbass?! But as much as his mortal common sense is prickling, he knows that the pot is completely cool beneath Eren’s touch.

“Is… That okay?” Eren bites his lip, finally unsure, and Levi swallows. It’s what Eren wants. It’s what he’s asking for. If Levi doesn’t give him this for Valentine’s Day, what will he give him?

“Yeah.” Levi begins running through what needs to be rearranged, cleaned, purchased before next Tuesday. He swallows. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

*

Eren shows up to his apartment on Valentine’s Day at 7:15pm on the dot with two reusable totes—one full of groceries, one full of candles.

“You brought candles,” Levi says tersely as Eren starts unloading his things on the large island in Levi’s kitchen. There is something a little jarring, seeing the little glass jars and tin canisters that he recognizes from Eren’s apartment sitting in the sterile environment of his own. Eren, in a loose maroon sweater and jeans, scuffing socked feet against the white tile floor, a wash of warm colors in what is only ever cool tones.

It might be an adjustment, but… It’s not as wrong and clashing as Levi had anticipated.

“Of course.” Eren smiles, pulling out long, thin candles the color of ivory, each one sat in a handleless teacup. “Even though you hate them.”

Levi considers opening his mouth to contradict, even though it’s true. Even though Eren knows it’s true, because Levi has never been quiet about his distaste for them. So he gives a shrug and says nothing.

“What are they for?” Levi asks, as Eren sets the candles up in locations that seem simultaneously random and purposeful. After he finds a place for each one, he drags his palm over the top of the wick, sparking the candle to life and reminding Levi of the first time he’d ever been witness to real, actual magic.

Eren looks at him, smile curling teasingly.

“Ambience.” His chuckle pokes fun at Levi, and Levi lets it wash over him without rebuttal. “Not everything I do involves magic, you know.”

Half the candles are still unlit, but Eren reaches inside his non-food tote and pulls out yet another candle. This one is purple, and Levi knows that it’s one of the candles he had watched Eren make from scratch.

“This one does, though.” He walks close, pressing the candle into Levi’s hands. The bottom is wrapped in cheesecloth, but Levi’s fingers still find themselves brushing against the smooth surface of the wax. “I know you hate candles. But this one is special. It won’t drip,” Eren promises. When he’s sure that Levi isn’t about to drop it, his hand moves to cup Levi’s cheek, fingertips a dragging brush up his jaw before cradling his face properly. “It’s for sleep,” Eren tells him, voice soft. His hand continues its journey, the pads of his fingers seeking out the short hairs of Levi’s undercut before carding through the strands. “It’ll work better than the sachets of lavender I’ve been giving you.”

Levi swallows, distracted by the soothing cadence of Eren’s voice paired with the gentle caress of his fingers, and nods.

Eren nods too, his smile soft and sunshine warm, the tip of his nose slightly cold when he tips forward and leaves a soft, affectionate kiss on Levi’s hairline.

He drags his hand through Levi’s hair one final time, and then slips easily out of Levi’s space, finding his hand.

“Come on. Time to cook.”

“Oh?” Levi’s heart is aching sweetly in his too tight chest, and he let’s Eren lead him behind the kitchen island like he’s being drawn across clouds rather than marble. “Am I helping?”

Eren just smiles, giving Levi’s hand a squeeze before releasing it to start separating out the ingredients he brought with him. Levi finds that fingers twitch, yearning for the contact to be reestablished, and laughs slightly at himself.

“What?” Eren hums, setting a cutting board and a bag of fingerling potatoes in front of Levi. He’s beginning to think Eren brought his entire kitchen with him in that bag—which is fair. Levi very rarely cooks, and has very little in his apartment for the actual preparation of meals.

“Nothing. Cutting or peeling?” Levi asks, neatly rolling up the cuffs of his shirt, and Eren hands him a knife.

“Cut, please.”

As Levi rinses the potatoes, and his hands, he finds himself watching Eren as he heats a pan on the stove for the salmon he intends to seer, unable to keep the smile from his face. As if he can somehow sense Levi’s joy, Eren looks over at him and returns it.

It’s not as constant of a reminder now as it was in the beginning, but sometimes Levi still finds that he has to tell himself that this, all of this, isn’t some kind of magic. It’s… Just Eren.

Just Eren.

[miniaturekittyphilosopher-blog]

Index, Mixed Media, 46 x 60, 2016

At the outset I had a clear idea about using a transparent canvas; inspired by some of Sigmar Polke’s (Neo-Dada) paintings.  There’s a stretched skin or hide like feeling with these images which is both contemporary and ancient; and personally links to body art in the form of tattooing.  I had not seen transparent surfaces used in paintings before; these reveal the structure of the canvas support and destroy illusion.  They also associate with the properties of stained glass, introducing a religious element.  Perhaps the idea of fantasy should also be mentioned since they could also link to theatrical backdrops and scrims which appear either transparent or opaque depending how they are lit.

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Mrs Autumn and her Two Daughters, 1991

Siberian Meteorites, 1988

It would also be worth mentioning that they resemble in some respects glass specimen slides or cases of collected specimens; the idea of an image being captured, encapsulated and frozen for analytical scrutiny and observation also makes sense; this draws attention to the very act of research and of looking which is part of what it is to be an artist.

The intention to work with this kind of support created unique problems that had to be researched and solved.

I explored fabric suppliers, cost, ordered samples to check strength and transparent properties of cloth.  It had to be strong to withstand stretching, have a dense weave to hold resin, smooth fibres to reduce texture.  Final choices were between cotton gauze and loom-state muslin.  Cotton gauze was stronger and had a denser weave but width and price of the muslin was more cost effective.  I ordered 10 meters of the muslin from Whaleys (Bradford) Ltd.

I had a choice between clear gesso and a natural or synthetic resin.  The range of resins and gesso’s on offer is extensive.  A resin coating on the muslin would stiffen it and give it much more strength than gesso which would retain flexibility in the cloth.  I chose synthetic resin; I had more familiarity with fibre-glass resin as I’ve watched my Dad work with it since young childhood.  I first sourced this from a local fibre-glass mould-maker but it took some time to find the business and you had to provide your own containers for the resin and the catalyst (hardener). Two pints of resin and about 100mls of the catalyst cost only £6.00; extremely cost effective. Plastic milk bottles are not ideal containers; the toxic vapour still escapes.  Ideally, fibre-glass resin should be stored in metal cans.

The escaping vapours and toxicity of fibre-glass resin created the problem of being unable to transport to, or work with the material in the University environment.  I took my stretcher wood home and built the canvas there.  I also had to buy corner clamps to build the support properly, maintaining squareness.

The muslin was stretched onto the canvas in two separate sections rather than being machine stitched together to create the correct width.  I knew the fibre-glass would glue the two sections of textiles together.

The fibre-glass vapours were initially too strong to work in a small space, even with the windows wide open.  I had to research and order the correct type of safety equipment to use.  Also try to use safety goggles and latex gloves as resin is immediately irritating to eyes and can splash when being used.  Fibre-glass resin with added catalyst can only be removed from brushes or skin with acetone.  Nail varnish remover contains acetone and is an adequately cheap substitute.  Don’t use acetone or nail varnish remover near or on eyes!

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3M Half Face Respirator Mask

The 3M 6057 ABE1 Filters protect against organic vapours, inorganic vapours and acid gases

My Dad advised a ¼ teaspoon of catalyst to a quarter large jam-jar of resin would take about 10 hours to cure. Drying time is also affected by temperature of the room – higher temperatures promote faster drying times.  That was a drying time which could take place overnight with windows open.  Proper ventilation must be ensured as fumes are toxic and also flammable.

Fibre-glass resin is difficult to coat muslin as it doesn’t have much of a wetting property and the open weave of the textile also enhances the problem – this was overcome by using a wooden board against the cloth so resin could be pushed into the weave of the cloth.  (Later research suggests fibreglass resin can be thinned with acetone – which may solve the inadequate wetting problem.) When finally dried the muslin was taut like a drum skin but the two loose edges of the cloth had created a large ripple where they had joined.  The surface of the support was also extremely rough.  The solution would have been to buy a ‘Gelcoat‘ product to paint over the top which would have smoothed the surface completely.  However; a rough tooth would help acrylic paint adhere to the surface as fibre-glass resin does repel water.

First acrylic paint layer

Later I was able to source an alternative local online supplier with an outstanding selection of resins and cheap prices …   East Coast Fibreglass Supplies.

Using the projector in the small studio space was difficult but I had a definite idea of the image I wanted to produce.  The image was taken from a drawing I did of a soap sculpture I’d carved which was produced from the video work of the foam structure paintings ‘The Organica Series’.

The idea was developed using previous references from an imaginary landscape which I hadn’t been able to move forward because I felt I was copying from Sigmar Polke too closely.

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I was very interested in layers, transparency but also white against the transparent surface.  I also wanted to work with Shellac – other artists such as Anselm Kiefer work with it and I was curious.

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I prepared what is commonly called a ‘1lb cut’ – using 250 grams of lemon shellac flakes and 1 litre of isopropyl alcohol.  French Polishers generally use methylated spirits but I didn’t want the purple colour of the liquid to interfere with the transparency and colour of the natural resin.  Dissolving the shellac flakes incrementally in the alcohol and stirring often should prevent pooling of the flakes to the bottom of the bottle where they become like a highly viscous gel that can’t be thinned again.

Shellac mixes with all paints and acts as a fast dryer, sealer and varnish and is an absolute joy to use creating incredibly rich, sensuous surfaces and interesting effects with different paints.  I also realised the Shellac related directly to the fibre-glass resin in its colour, viscosity and isolating, capturing properties; a nice partnering between a natural and synthetic resin.

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Beeswax added to hide ripple

I melted beeswax pellets and poured the molten wax over the ripple on the canvas to hide it – though I had considered making a feature of the ripple by adding rough stitching after having looked at some of Antoni Tapies (Arte Povera) paintings.  However; I was thinking about beaches and indexical substances; or using substances from my own life such as beeswax from my soap making business and semi-precious beads from jewelry making in an indexical way.  That indexical process had really begun with the soap sculpture and then the use of fibre-glass resin.  I also began to develop the image using my ideas about spatial depth within abstract painting which are highly influenced by Ian McKeever and his methodology/thought on the subject of space and depth.

I continued to use contrasts between materials, size, ways of application in layers to build up a subtle spatial sense within the image, also using ripped pieces of paper left over from airbrush practice.  The process involves knocking back and bringing forward in lots of different ways in order to achieve a harmony and balance between contrasts until it can be called a painting.  I also added a wrapping of string over the surface of the canvas that isn’t glued to it to create an extra spatial layer after seeing some of the work done by Jannis Kounnellis (Arte Povera) who uses fabric and string and rope to wrap and suspend objects.

The materials, process, rich visual surface, physicality and object property, associations with crafts, landscape or shoreline and the artist’s hand are very important in this painting for me.

Method – Index Index, Mixed Media, 46 x 60, 2016 At the outset I had a clear idea about using a transparent canvas; inspired by some of…

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