Taking a good scoop out of the bucket of molding paste (four litre containers are my size of choice) I throw the gob onto the canvas. Two or three flings later I begin to cover the surface roughly using semi-circular movements to avoid symmetry in the patterns. The thickness of the layer of paste varies from very thin or non-existent to thicker, enough to hold some scrapes and impressions. Much like life, hills and valleys abound.
Carefully moving across the panel, I include the edges paying particular attention to the corners. The canvas folds disappear under the layer of paste becoming one with the rest of the prepared surface.
Once the entire canvas is covered, I use the scraper to smooth out the higher lumps and bumps before I move in with the rest of my tools.
Random is key. With the spatula I press the different patterned plastic onion bags into the molding paste. As I do, I think about how we try so hard to control our world. Onion bags contain their contents. Yet even the most perfect pattern has broken pieces. Once finished, I drop them into a container of water along with the spatula so they will not dry while I continue the mark making.
Beginning again with long swirling strokes of a fine-tooth comb I destroy the previous attempts at control. Life’s unexpected happenings. Movement flows in between and through the existing patterns. Last, but not least, I use three different lids to create the circle marks, a bottle lid, a tube from an adding machine paper dispenser and a watercolour brush container. The size grows smaller with each passing. It is important to do the circles last as they tend to get lost in the other random marks. These form the symbols of hope in the chaos. The Holy Spirit permeates all, sustaining and healing all.
No longer shiny, the molding paste has dried with the impressions of each tool evident on the canvas surface. Ready for the next step, we will add a gesso mix and thin layers of colour. The next topic in my neomosaic process.
