My Powertex Valentine

Marion - My Romantic Powertex Sculpture

With Valentine's day fast approaching, I will  hold my hands up now and admit to being an unapologetic romantic.

But true love requires working at.  It doesn't just happen.  Likewise, creating meaningful art doesn't just happen.

I'm not talking about sticking rigidly to a plan.  Because, like all the best love affairs, I believe art takes on a life of it's own, when given the freedom to expand in the direction it feels it needs to go in.

I always encourage people who come on my Powertex workshops to have an idea in mind, but to be fully prepared to go with the flow when they feel the need to do so.

Take my Powertex sculpture pictured here - who I have ended up calling Marion, after the trapeze artist in the romantic film Wings of Desire.

Marion started off life with the intention of being called Lady Grey.  She was originally quite plain, and rather saintly looking believe it or not.

However, somewhere along the line she morphed into more of a Black Swan type being.  Still romantic, but much sadder and more complex.

I find this happens when I am working with Powertex.  Sculptures evolve as I work.  Maybe something of what I am feeling channels itself into them.  

Then this morning, as I finished her off, she changed once again.  Into a fun loving, romantic theatrical affair.  Hence finishing off as Marion.

I'm pleased I allowed her to evolve as she did.  I like the sense of adventure and glamour I get when I look at her.  Yes, the Marion stage was definitely the right one to stop at.

How I created Marion:

I used a bust I got from a charity shop - along with paper flowers and a top from the same shop.

I covered everything with with lead powertex hardener.

I then created the wings separately using wire covered with tin foil and masking tape

I attached the wings to the back of the bust, and covered them with Powertex paperdec and lead powertex

Once this was dry I went over them with Powercotton and some feathers also soaked in lead powertex to add even more texture

I covered the bust and the bodice with Powertex stone art using a mixture of grey and white powertex hardener to add some interest

At this point she started to morph into the Black Swan as I sprayed the bodice and wings with red and black bister

Deciding this wasn't quite right, I then added more colour to the bodice, using powertex powercolor pigments of bordeaux red and terragreen.

I added silver colour to the wings before adding using white colour to highlight the whole sculpture and add to the grainy effect I was aiming for.

You can find me on facebook at Arts & Murals by Donna Mcghie  here to keep up to date with my work. See you again soon. Donna x