Objects in Resin - Allen Schill - Still Life Photography

A small round sculpture in bicomponent resin, colored swimming-pool blue on the outside, with a toy white dove taking a bath. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, toy dove

White Dove in Pool, September 2022. 2,3 cm. ht., 5,5 cm. diameter. Resin and toy plastic dove. (id#1478)

The color here - blue pastel ground to a powder - was applied to the sides and base of the mold - that is, not mixed into the resin - to give the effect of the color water takes on in a swimming pool painted blue.

A small round sculpture in bicomponent resin, colored swimming-pool blue on the outside, with a baby girl doll taking a bath. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, baby doll

Baby Girl in Pool, January 2023. 3,4 cm. ht., 4,8 cm. diameter. Resin and baby doll. (id#1476)

Like the previous item, the blue pastel color here was applied to the sides and base of the mold to give the effect of the color water takes on in a swimming pool painted blue.

A small round sculpture in bicomponent resin, colored swimming-pool blue on the outside, with two baby boys taking a bath with a toy red duck. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, baby dolls

Two Babies in Pool with Red Duck, October 2022. 2,7 cm. ht., 4,8 cm. diameter. Resin, baby dolls, and toy duck. (id#1477)

This represents my twin brother Brian and me when we were babies taking a bath together, with a toy duck. As with the other pieces in this group, the color here was applied to the mold to give the effect of water in a swimming pool painted blue.

A small round sculpture in bicomponent resin, colored swimming-pool blue on the outside, with six baby boys, black and white, taking a bath. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, baby dolls

Six Babies in Pool, October 2022. 2,8 cm. ht., 8,6 cm. diameter. Resin and baby dolls. (id#1479)

Here also, the color was applied to the mold to give the effect of water in a swimming pool painted blue.

A small round sculpture in bicomponent resin, colored swimming-pool blue on the outside, with six baby boys, black and white, taking a bath with a white dove. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, baby dolls, toy dove

A Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood, January 2023. 2,8 cm. ht., 9,8 cm. diameter. Resin, baby dolls, and toy plastic dove. (id#1480)

This piece, the culmination of the previous works, is dedicated to Fred Rogers and François Clemmons of the Mister Rogers TV program for their courageous and moral work in the sketch they did to comment on the integration of public swimming pools in the late 1960s. Black and white shared a footbath, they shared a towel, and everything was O.K.. The dove knew he was in good company. They sent a message that even now deserves to be heard by many.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin, with plastic letters that spell out a word-play in French by Marcel Duchamp, arranged in a spiral. fine art, sculpture, resin, plastic letter beads

Esquivons les ecchymoses des esquimaux aux mots esquis en esquimais, September 2022. 1,2 cm. ht., 8,8 cm. diameter. Resin and plastic letter beads. (id#1481)

I owe this French phrase to Marcel Duchamp, who loved puns and wordplay. It comes from a short film he made in 1926 called "Anémic Cinéma" (whose title is already an anagram and near-palindrome), in which he shows a series of phrases written out in letters and mounted in spirals on a disc, which are seen to rotate in the film. Generally they are funny, one or two are suggestive. This one, a bit of a tongue-twister, means basically "We shield ourselves from the bruises of the Eskimos with exquisite words in Eskimo." Duchamp published a book he called (in French) "Marchand du sel", a pun on his own name. In English that means "Salt Seller", a pun on "Salt Cellar", an outmoded term, but designating a container for salt. Devilishly clever guy, Marcel. I'm proud to have added the last phrase, "en esquimais" ("in Eskimo language"), to Duchamp's, first checking it with a couple of friends whose French is much more reliable than mine.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin, with a moth and plastic letters that spell out a Latin palindrome by Virgil about the life cycle of the moth, arranged in a circle. fine art, sculpture, resin, plastic letter beads, butterfly

Farfallina con Palindromo di Virgilio, September-October 2022. 1,6 cm. ht., 9,8 cm. diameter. Resin, plastic letter beads, and moth. (id#1482)

Virgil's palindrome sums up the life cycle of the typical moth, who can't seem to help but fly into the fire. This one didn't - instead, he flew into a spiderweb in my bathroom and was caught. Some days later he was dead, and I decided to use him. For this I learned the procedure for preparing butterflies for display in a collection tray. Using a block with a space carved for the insect's head, thorax, and abdomen, one pins down the wings so they'll dry in a position that displays both sets. Otherwise, the posterior wings will be concealed by the anterior. I expect Vladimir Nabokov would have liked this piece.

A small square sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin, with plastic letters arranged in the Arepo Square, an ancient palindromic acrostic. fine art, sculpture, resin, plastic letter beads

Arepo Square, September 2022. 4,9 x 4,9 x 1,2 cm. Resin and plastic letter beads. (id#1538)

Dating from the 1st century BC, and widely disseminated in the years of the Roman Empire, this acrostic with an arcane meaning was perhaps the first meme. On the simplest level, however, it means "the sower Arepo guides the wheel with skill".

A small rectangular sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with twelve plastic jet airplanes embedded. fine art, sculpture, resin, toy model fighter jets

Sharks and Jets, November 2022. 8,0 x 12,5 x 1,1 cm. Resin and miniature plastic jet planes. (id#1504)

When I was a kid I built a plastic model of an aircraft carrier, with many tiny plastic airplanes to fit on the deck. At some point when I was older, I got rid of the model, but kept the planes, somehow knowing I'd use them one day (or maybe just play with them). And I did, more than 50 years later.

A small round sculpture in transparent red bicomponent resin with 22 plastic jet airplanes arranged in concentric circles and partially submerged. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, toy model fighter jets

Bloodbath - Sharks and Jets I (Round), January-March 2023. 1,0 cm. ht., 11,7 cm. diameter. Resin, red colorant, and miniature plastic jet planes. (id#1484)

A small square sculpture in transparent red bicomponent resin with 25 plastic jet airplanes arranged in grid and partially submerged. fine art, sculpture, resin, colorant, toy model fighter jets

Bloodbath - Sharks and Jets II (Square), January-March 2023. 12,2 x 12,2 x 0,7 cm. Resin, red colorant, and miniature plastic jet planes. (id#1485)

A small hexagonal sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored glass corpuscles arranged in a pattern. fine art, sculpture, resin, glass corpuscles

Corpuscles, February 2023. 10,2 x 11,7 x 0,8 cm. Resin and colored glass corpuscles. (id#1522)

There were nine colors to these, which allowed me to arrange of them a repeating pattern, 3x3.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored plastic beads arranged in a hexagonal pattern in the center. fine art, sculpture, resin, glass corpuscles, colored plastic beads

Corpuscles and Plastic Beads, September-October 2022. 1,2 cm. ht., 9,6 cm. diameter. Resin, colored plastic beads and glass corpuscles. (id#1515)

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored sugar candies arranged in a hexagonal pattern. fine art, sculpture, resin, sugar candies

Pastiglie Leone, February 2023. 1,4 cm. ht., 7,1 cm. diameter. Resin and pastel-colored sugar candies. (id#1524)

Pastiglie Leone are a traditional local product of Torino, originated by the Leone family, which of course happens to mean "lion". The box is labeled "pastiglie disettanti", that is, pills to relieve thirst.

A small hexagonal sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored plastic opalescent pearls. fine art, sculpture, resin, opalescent plastic pearls

Opalescent Pearls, February 2023. 7,3 x 6,2 x 1,0 cm. Resin and plastic opalescent pearls arranged in a hexagon. (id#1523)

Made of plastic and cheap as they come - a dollar a bag but with a beautiful finish.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored plastic beads in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored plastic beads

Colored Plastic Beads, September 2022. 1,1 cm. ht., 9,9 cm. diameter. Resin and colored plastic beads. (id#1517)

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with amber-colored dessicant beads in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, desiccant beads

Desiccant Beads, August-September 2022. 0,7 cm. ht., 7,3 cm. diameter. Resin and desiccant beads. (id#1529)

The desiccant beads are what are commonly packed with photographic lenses and anything that should be kept away from humidity.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored glass beads in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored glass corpuscles

Corpuscles, September 2022. 1,2 cm. ht., 9,1 cm. diameter. Resin and colored glass corpuscles. (id#1514)

I call them corpuscles because they are rounded on one side but with a dimple in the other, and so are shaped like red blood corpuscles.

Corpuscles, September 2022 (backlit). 1,2 cm. ht., 9,1 cm. diameter. Resin and colored glass corpuscles. (id#1514)

The same item as before, but photographed against a dark background.

A small square sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with seeds of a Japanese red maple arranged calligraphically. fine art, sculpture, resin, red maple seeds

Semi d'acero rosso, July 2022. 10,8 x 10,2 x 0,6 cm. Resin and red maple seeds. (id#1483)

I collected these seeds from a small tree growing in the garden of my building. Some I plan to germinate and to use the seedlings to grow a few new trees. I must admit that the seeds in this piece, which I've hung in my kitchen window where it takes the intense sunlight every morning, have faded a bit. I would have done better to hang the piece in a window less exposed to direct sunlight. But it's still a handsome piece.

A small rectangular sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored painted pebbles arranged in a non-standard US flag design. fine art, sculpture, resin, multicolored painted stones

Rainbow Flag, October 2022. 9,8 x 12,5 x 1,0 cm. Resin and painted pebbles. (id#1503)

All hail the multitudes that are the people of the United States of America!

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored painted pebbles. fine art, sculpture, resin, multicolored painted stones

Untitled (Disc with Red and Yellow Painted Pebbles), Mar.-April 2024. 11.7 x 8.9 x 0.85 cm.. (id#1634)

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with opalescent hexagonal glitter in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, pink hexagonal flakes

Hot Pink Hexagonal Flakes, February 2023. 1,0 cm. ht., 7,1 cm. diameter. (id#1528)

These flakes were a freebie that came with a recent order of resin, and the stuff is very pretty.

A small squarish sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with amber-colored gum arabic crystals in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, gum arabic crystals

Gum Arabic Crystals, August-September 2022. Resin and gum arabic crystals. 7,4 x 7,0 x 0,8 cm. (id#1511)

Gum arabic is a dry form of a very common, very old glue, such as on the once-familiar on gummed envelopes, also used by artists for centuries. To make the glue, it was sufficient to soak to crystals in water for a time. It was known as mucilage when I was a kid.

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored round sugar candies in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, sugar candies

Zuccherini, August 2022. 1,1 cm. ht., 9,9 cm. diameter. Resin and tiny sugar candies. (id#1513)

A small squarish sculpture in gray-tinted transparent bicomponent resin with four rectangles from an antique mirror. fine art, sculpture, resin, old rectangular mirrors

Mirrors, April 2023. 7,3 x 7,0 x 0,6 cm. Resin and antique mirrors. (id#1512)

The mirrors came from an old piece of furniture - a secretary - with many small mirrors lining the sides and back. They have lost much of their silvering, where it is now transparent.

A small rectangular sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored wooden sticks arranged calligraphically. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored wooden sticks

Colored Sticks (rectangular), September 2022. 9,9 x 6,6 x 0,7 cm. Resin and colored wooden sticks. (id#1506)

A small squarish sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored wooden sticks arranged calligraphically. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored wooden sticks

Colored Sticks (squarish), September 2022. 7,3 x 7,0 x 1,2 cm. Resin and colored wooden sticks. (id#1507)

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with plastic sequins in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored plastic sequins

Sequins, February 2023. 1,0 cm. ht., 7,1 cm. diameter. Resin and colored sequins. (id#1527)

A small round sculpture in transparent bicomponent resin with multicolored plastic gems in a homogeneous arrangement. fine art, sculpture, resin, colored plastic gems

Plastic Gems, October 2022. 1,0 cm. ht., 7,1 cm. diameter. Resin and colored plastic gems. (id#1555)

A silicone mold prepared for pouring resin, with several Spirograph discs arranged calligraphically. fine art, sculpture, mold, Spirograph pieces

Mold with Spirograph Pieces, September 2022. 7,1 cm. diameter. Resin and Spirograph pieces. (id#1520)

This is here just to illustrate a bit of the procedure of working in resin. Some sort of mold is in order, usually of a mixture of silicone and flour, or just silicone. Some kinds of soft plastic also work very well, such as the containers for food products, in that the resin doesn't stick to them. Other types of plastic, especially hard plastic, have to be coated with a thin layer of silicone or the resin will never detach. There are also mold release compounds which I have not used. (I have yet to try silicone spray meant for frying pans.) I have used also molds made from 4"x5" sheets of photographic film.

These are some of the objects I've made since 2022 in resin. The resin is a transparent material mixed from two liquid components chemically akin to epoxy glue, the second being a hardener. Once mixed, one has an hour or two to work before the resin starts to set. It goes from syrupy at first to a consistency like thick honey when it begins to set. Coloring may be added at the beginning, as I've done with a few of these.

Since most of them are basically transparent, I've photographed them a few different ways to try to suggest how they look in different conditions. Some are shown illuminated from behind, whether on a light box (with the light backgrounds) or in a sunlit window, with a dark background. Since they have a certain thickness - a centimeter or so - I've tried to show that.

Aesthetically they range a bit here and a bit there. The first five, with the tiny doll figures and the blue bases, illustrate a development. The white doves I've used in still-life photographs in the past (see Doves on Racquet). The piece with two baby dolls and a red duck in the bath represents my brother and me when we were babies. I happened to have several more baby dolls, and used them in the last two pieces with six babies apiece. These are dedicated to Fred Rogers and François Clemmons of the Mister Rogers TV program for what they did to make a calm, sane, and beautiful statement about the integration of public swimming pools in the late 1960s. Sharing a tiny kiddie bath on the lawn one hot summer day to bathe and refresh their feet, they symbolized black and white sharing a swimming pool. I am pleased to say that these pieces can also be seen in the Fan Art section of the Everything Mr Rogers website.

Following those are three pieces incorporating the tiny plastic letters intended mainly for name bracelets for kids. One shows a phrase in a spiral form, borrowed from a sequence Marcel Duchamp's short film "Anémic Cinéma" (itself a near-palindrome), "Esquivons les ecchymoses des Esqimaux aux mots esquis". This means "We dodge the bruises of the Eskimos with exquisite words". (The last phrase, "en Esquimais, that is, "in Eskimo", is my invention, carrying Duchamp's elaborate wordplay a little further.) In Duchamp's film, the phrase itself is presented in a rotating spiral, along with several other remarkable word inventions of his.

The second piece, with a moth embedded in the resin, uses a palindrome in Latin from Virgil, "In girum imus nocte, ecce, et consumimur igni". This sums up the life cycle of the moth: "We go around at night and are consumed by fire."

The last of the three is the famous Arepo Square, a palindromic acrostic of Latin words which dates from the first century B.C. Its author is unknown and its meaning is disputed, but literally may be something like "The sower Arepo guides the wheels with skill".

(A historical aside: the Greek Sotades the Obscene, of the 3rd century B.C., is credited with the invention of the palindrome. He wrote satirical poetry, for which he eventually paid with his life: he poked fun at Ptolemy II for marrying his own sister, was jailed, escaped, then caught and thrown into the sea in a leaden chest.)

The next is a miniature plastic egg carton, perhaps 8 cm long, with plastic "gems" resined in place of eggs. As in the traditions of Surrealism and Dada, it works by violating our expectations, like Meret Oppenheim's fur-coated cup and saucer.

Next are three pieces using tiny plastic jet planes salvaged from the model of an aircraft carrier I made when I was a kid. All three have to do with the madness of war. The first is a rectangular piece in transparent resin. For the others, round or square, I colored the resin blood red to suggest the carnage of killing. The name for the group, The Sharks and the Jets, is borrowed from Leonard Bernstein's great musical "West Side Story", a resetting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet among the youth gangs of the tough, poor neighborhood of West Side New York in the 1950s. Instead of the Montagues and the Capulets, we have the Sharks and the Jets, gangs of Puerto Rican and Italian kids, set against one another.

The rest suggest my parallel interests in pattern and randomness - which have been important to my work for many, many years. The materials used here include plastic beads of various kinds, dessicant crystals, and pastel-colored sugar candies. Some arrangements are hexagonal - a geometric shape close to a circle - and others do not conform to any pattern. The array of leaves of the red maple is of a calligraphic inspiration, quite like many of my photographic still-life photographs and other works.

The Rainbow Flag is my pluralistic, idealistic, multicultural take on the symbol of the USA.

The following use a variety of materials: tiny opalescent hexagons, dessicant beads, multicolored round sugar candies, sequins, irregular plastic gems, pieces of a very old mirror, and colored wooden sticks.

The final item shows something of my procedure, using a mold made of silicone mixed with flour, with pieces of a Spirograph set, positioned and ready for the resin to be poured.

Allen Schill, August 2023