I keep a large bin of left over EPS foam pieces that I rummage through from time to time. I often find forms that interest me. The joy is in playing with them, modifying them, moving them around until the pieces fit.
Sometimes this process can be so satisfying that once I know I have the bones of a good sculpture, I move on to other ideas scrolling through my head that I need to explore, knowing I will return to finish it later. In this case, I roughed out this sculpture in 2017 and didn’t come back to it until 2023.
At first I had to add spacers to some of the parts to make them fit, but it wasn’t even a question as to where the sphere needed to be placed to bring that sense of calm to the piece. I knew immediately where it should go. Hanging the sphere was something new for me.
After deciding to go forward with the piece, some forms needed to be added to, some sections removed. Another important step was to create an internal steel structural system to join the pieces together, and more importantly, to support the weight of the cantilevered sphere.
It took many layers of plaster and joint compound to create the final forms. Deciding whether to use plaster or joint compound is critical, as the joint compound can be easily removed or modified with water and the plaster must be sanded or carved away. The texture left can differ greatly depending on which material is used and which technique is used to modify it.
The decision to paint this sculpture was difficult. My previous work had been primarily monochromatic or natural materials and this was a big step for me. But once the dicision was made, it opened me up to all kinds of possibilities. I started with an overall wash to bring out the texture so I could decide what areas needed additional texture and begin to plan the painting.
After the initial wash, some areas were modified by applying more joint compound or plaster. Additional texture and thickening was achieved by adding layers of burlap or gluing thinly sliced pieces of EPS Foam to the surface. Each of the three forms was worked on separately, but constantly put back together to consider the overall look of the piece. There are as many as ten layers of paint, burlap and foam, and in some cases raw, unpainted joint compound, to create the colored, textured surface of the final sculpture.
The Finished Sculpture
3 Forms w/Sphere no.5
EPS Foam, Plaster, Burlap, Aluminum, Acrylic Paint.
28"H 24"W 6"D.
2023
