Week 2 – Art Experience – Plaster Casting on the Beach

This is my first experience with plaster casting!

As an artist, I am somewhat inexperienced in my range of mediums. Although I paint from time to time I’ve never really strayed away from my comfort zone (acrylic paints). However, I’ve always been fascinated by sculptures and 3-dimensional works of art. This was my first time trying out plaster casting! I can say with confidence that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Happily stirring my plaster mixture by the beautiful blue ocean.

Like I stated previously in my self-introduction, I’m an avid lover of the ocean. Although this trip was optional I always jump at any opportunity to go to the beach, and this time was no exception!

Pouring the plaster into my hand mold.

I felt as though this Art Experience was a relatively easy task to accomplish (if you follow the directions correctly). The only complication that I experienced was the amount of plaster I was left with after filling my hand mold. Since it was my first time mixing plaster, I was also worried about the plaster to water ratio. Perhaps I was left with so much leftover plaster because I had mixed in too much water?

However, I didn’t want to throw away the rest of the plaster (I am definitely not one to waste things). So I dug a small hole in the sand in the shape of a heart and filled it with the leftover plaster. It came out pretty cute! I’m currently considering using sand paper to smooth it out and giving it away as a gift to someone.

 

The lovely heart I made using the leftover plaster!

After I dug out the heart, I carefully excavated my hand replica. To my dismay a couple of my fingers seemed dwarfed in size (evidence of the parts of my mold that caved in). At first I was disappointed in my creation. But I looked around and realized that everybody else’s plaster castings were anything but perfect.

I felt as though this was a good metaphor for us as human beings. Individually, we’re all broken and disfigured in a way. We are entirely imperfect, but that’s what makes us human. We are unique works of art.

“The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you’re enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect.” -Brene Brown