I am continuing to explore creating shadows with simple forms. These 3/4 plaster spheres have been filed to make a slot and then all 49 placed in a grid with the slots randomly positioned. Who knows why but looking at it makes me feel calm and peaceful, (although a little annoyed that not every sphere is in focus) must try harder. The spheres are about the size of a mint imperial, no-one has been fooled yet luckily, they could be nasty if swallowed!
Tag: plaster of paris
Creating Cast Shadows
Somehow I seem to have found myself moving almost full circle in my use of scale. I began with intricate delicate jewellery in silver and moved abruptly in a dramatic change of scale to a few bulky fabrications in painted MDF, then mild steel sculpture as big as I could make it. I yearned to go bigger, larger than life but for that you need money, strength, a whole workshop full of specialist equipment, space and hopefully a commission. After a liberating but all too brief dalliance with pleated paper and an even briefer sojourn with copper sheet, I adopted a more restrained approach, all white sculpture on a domestic scale in a medium quite new to me until now, cast plaster. Gradually and almost without realising what was afoot, the scale has slid back down, close to jewellery sized pieces.
Throughout this whole exploration of materials and processes, runs my habitual theme of repetition, it seems to be the one constant, indeed it is undeniably quite my favourite. And of course my second favourite, the aspect that sits so well with repetition – cast shadows.
Creating Cast Shadows
Cast plaster hemispheres with small facets rotated in sequence.
The same cast hemispheres turned over in place, to rest on their facets.
Cast plaster “cakes” rotated in a set sequence around the four points of the compass.
Creating Cast Shadows
A simple arrangement of hemispherical castings on a white background produces a rich variety of grey tones.
Later when the sun has moved around the shadows are much softer
Creating cast shadows
A work in progress – based on rotations of four types of cast disc – the backboard will be white.
Sally Wakelin - Studies in Creativity 
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