Welcome to this blog. In this post, I want to share with you how I changed some of my handmade resin coaster pieces that were originally rejected due to the presence of bubbles into new pieces with storytelling power.
If you have studied Art History, you are probably familiar with the French term “Salon des Refusés”. This refers to the “Exhibition of the Refused”. The image that I found in Artsper Magazine shows the Caricature on Impressionism, on occasion of their first exhibit.
Ironically, some of the master pieces in the history of art, leading to new movements in art were originally categorized as ” refused”. Some of the most prominent impressionist and post impressionist artists whose artworks were considered by the Paris Salon as “refused” include Camille Pissarro, Paul Cézanne, and Edouard Manet.
This important Art History lesson continues to encourage emerging artists to continue pursuing their dreams and not be discouraged by harsh criticism and rejection from others. I personally always think of it when I feel rejected.
In my previous posts, I have shared with you how I make coasters with epoxy resin and paper collage. So far, I have created many design sets. Once in a while, after inspecting the pieces when the resin sets and solidifies, I discover a couple of visible bubbles. Sometimes these bubbles complement the theme, such as when the design suggests a pond or another aquatic theme. However, sometimes I reject the bubbly pieces and put them aside on a designated shelf space for rejected pieces.
Eventually, I decided to do something about my stack of rejected pieces. Some of them had a design that was just too charming to ignore. Such as the pieces you see showcased in this post. These pieces all belong to the theme of “Paris vintage” collage.
In addition to the aesthetic aspects, dealing with the issue of undesired bubbles trapped in the resin also needs thinking about the technical aspects. It requires understanding the epoxy resin behavior.
Unlike many materials such as acrylic paint that can be easily layered over the previous layer, no matter how solid or liquid the previous layer is, layering freshly mixed liquid epoxy over a previously fully solidified glossy polished epoxy layer, simply would not work.
I learned this lesson the hard way. When I was new to the usage of this material, I tried to glaze the previously solidified epoxy piece by pouring a new freshly mixed layer over it and what happened was that the new layer did not really integrate with the previous layer and instead was flaky and created gel like areas on the surface. To solve this problem, the solid surface of the previous epoxy layer needs to be fully sanded which can be done manually or by a sanding tool.
For the pieces you can see in this blog post, I sanded the whole surface and then poured a newly mixed layer over it. I used a Black & Decker Mouse Sander that I purchased from Canadian Tire Store. It is about half the size of a table Iron and has a vacuum filter to capture the dust. It really is mousy! LOL 🙂
I am very happy about purchasing this mouse sander. It has saved me a lot of muscle ache and almost eliminated the sanding dust problem in my studio. This particular mini hand sander is also available in many other home hardware stores such as Home Depot. Having said that, since I make my coasters in silicone molds, I also try to produce bubble-free pieces as much as possible so I don’t have to worry about sanding and reglazing a stack of rejected pieces later.
After sanding the surface, just before adding a new glaze, I attached new paper scrap pieces, such as texts like “Create Memories“, “Happy“, “Love,”, to hide the bubbles. Since the existence of trapped inner bubbles under the surface would not interfere in any way with the function of the coasters, I don’t feel guilty about patching them with collage pieces. I even consider it an ethical choice leading to waste reduction.
Although the addition of extra layers of epoxy was not originally in my plan, when I started to make coasters in this theme, I realized that the visual effect and the depth created as a result of this practice, can make the pieces richer in storytelling.
The storytelling power of these coasters especially fits well when the pieces want to cherish precious bits of old memories and convey a sense of nostalgia. This discovery is the outcome of the presence of bubbles that I was originally upset about. In this sense, bubbles turned out to be “Blessings in disguise”!
Also, this surprising effect fits so very well with my original intention and vision for the Dobro & Vita brand to celebrate the beauty of little things that are already present in our lives. As stated on the “About” page of the “Dobro & Vita” website:
“Through handcrafted objects, mixed-media creations, and thoughtful design, we explore the quiet spaces where art and everyday life meet. Each piece is created with care and intention, inviting a pause from the rush of daily life and encouraging a deeper appreciation for the simple things around us.”
Here you can see another example of this group of pieces. As you can see, thanks to additional layering over the previous layer, some collage elements seem to be partially fading, which suggests a time element and reveals the storytelling aspect of each piece.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Although I admit some pieces do look a bit too busy. I am also learning and improving as my experimentation with the epoxy resin continues. If I rescue more bubbly pieces with this process, I will update this article and will share the results in this post. So, please check again later!
Cheers!
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