Casting the Resin

After making numerous moulds, boxes and supports it was time to cast the resin slates.  I poured on half the resin mix into the rubber mould, left it for 30 minutes until it became a jelly texture, then sprinkled the sediments, from square 1 - 4 in rows across the square.  

My aim is to have 9 clear resin squares, all 500 x 500mm.  Each one will represent the sites I visited through a trapped 'soil horizon'.  It will almost be a time trap of the earth in March that was picked up and placed in June.  Each slate will be displayed on the floor, slightly hovering on the surface, to show the audience the view point I was looking at for a week. 

Making the Mould

The rubber mould to hold the resin casting was a tricky one....   I carefully constructed a 500 x 500mm MDF box in which the mould would be made from. 

I melt 5kg of rubber on the BBQ - a quick, efficient and ventilated way of using toxic materials...and you can throw on some burgers after the had work!

Once the rubber melted I quickly transferred it to the well crafted MDF box, evenly pouring out the liquid to ensure a sturdy mould.

Mmmm - looks like toffee! Quickly developing a rubber fetish....

Cooking the samples....

I have collected one sample of earth from four squares within my 9 square metre quadrant (squares labelled 1-4).  I repeated this process at 9 various sights on the farm.  I want to compare the soil samples to investigate the diversity of land at Little Dodnash.  To do this, I will cast the four samples from each site in clear resin - almost like an enlarged scientific slide.

I have 36 soil samples and need every single one needs to be bone dry in order to cast in clear resin.  How do I do this??  Luckily my cousin is a scientist.  In order to extract all moisture I need to bake each sample.

I looked into the process scientists/geologists use compare soil qualities.  After extracting all moisture, they grind the particles down into their purest form and then pass them through a sieve.  This produces a delicate, fine powder.  I repeated this process to 36 samples.

Site Exploration

I visited 9 various sites on Little Dodnash Farm in Suffolk.  Setting up a grid to specifically map the area I explored the surface of each site, collected samples of earth and photographically recorded my movements.

I collected 4 samples from each grid.  I have 36 different samples in labelled plastic bags sitting in my garage.  I will soon be studying them under a microscope at my cousin's lab.  

Rural Idyll 2 - The Beginning

Day 1:  Explored 50 Acres of farm land  - sheep, lambing, hay bales, ruins of a Priory, marshland, peace and tranquility - complete detachment and escape.

After a long awaited residency in the depths of rural Suffolk, I arrived in the quaint village of East Bergholt - about a five minute walk and you've seen it all.  I'm greeted by Penny, owner of the cute little West Lodge b&b , with the worlds best tree house.

West Lodge B&B

I find out one of the Rural Idyll artists, London based David Yu, is also staying here and interrupt him over a massive English breakfast to talk about the week ahead and ask uncomfortable questions such as 'what is your medium?'... I find out I'm not the only one who squirms at this inquiry.  

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Arrived at Little Dodnash Farm to meet the brains behind the residency, and the 12 other artists I will be working with this week.  Fantastically interesting people from all walks of life. I cant wait to see what they all come up with for the June Exhibition! (which will be in the derelict barn currently under reconstruction)

Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings.