Plexi Project

Vision 9  Hardboard and carved Plexiglass 12" x 24".

One of the suggestions from my critiques during the January Residency at AIB was to experiment with Plexiglass. I picked up a few scraps last week and began to try painting and carving them. The Dremel tool with a cutting bit creates etched lines without too much difficulty. I like the way the light catches the grooves and casts some interesting shadows. I'm not sure about the subject matter. The waterfall could be simplified further. The two panels are not attached together yet, so I can make a few changes if I want to.

Vision 9 - Stage 1 Hardboard panel in progress.

I began with the idea of creating a design for a wall mural. Early on, I realized that I don't have the technical skills necessary to create a 3-D wall relief more than 25' wide. However, it is an interesting exercise and I am glad that I tried it. The transition from Photoshop design to a physical work was challenging. I found that I fell back on my past painting approaches when faced with a frustrating problem. I had to put the Photoshop enlargement away in order to simplify the image further. Originally I had planned for three panels. I had cut out and painted a partial panel of plants for the foreground which just did not add anything to the piece in the final analysis.


The Plexiglass needs a space between it and the hardboard, so I picked up some mirror fasteners at the hardware store. I think I can create a space by screwing them two-deep to the hardboard. I plan to drill holes in the Plexiglass for the screws so I can install it and remove it later to clean it. The Plexi picks up all kinds of fluff and dust once it is charged with static electricity. This is a disadvantage. The plus side is that it is readily available, lightweight and easy to use.


My next project may be an abstract design using a board and a carved Plexi panel. I have to do some serious thinking about the direction I want to take with my work. There are a number of contemporary artists who work with abstraction and representation, so it is not an impossible idea. I want to find some way to reference nature in a contemporary way which will seem relevant and not be seen as a throwback to past ideas of romanticism and the sublime. The waterfall in Vision 9 is verging on this, so I think the piece needs more development.