23 October 2019
Considering that resin cannot be used in the studios, as well as its unethical sources and toxic nature, I started looking for clear materials that could be moulded into the palm, and embedded with the watch movement. An option was bioplastics, but I didn’t have the time to experiment with recipes for colour and rigidity. I decided to try gel wax and alcohol based dye.
Pouring and casting gel wax into my silicone putty mould failed since the wax was too soft to be retracted once set. Moreover, the wax, once exposed to the uneven texture inside the mould, lost its glossiness, and subsequently its transparency.
Next, I tried dipping and pouring directly onto the wire ladder, repeating the pouring at frequent intervals t allow the wax to set in layers over the ladder. The process required a number of trials since the wax tore off easily on account of its own weight in places it had set thick.
I finally managed to create a glossy wax-lake suspended on the ladder and embedded it with the watch movement cufflink. Next, to allow for creeping ivy and provide it with water and soil.
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