Low Rent Renaissance

 These are three dimensional mixed media pieces formed over repurposed kitchen cabinet doors. They are made from generally nontraditional materials including cement mortar, joint compound, burlap, twine, medical gauze, and other bits and pieces, and painted with latex and acrylics.  "16"x21" 13"x19" 11"x18"

These large pieces involve sculpting mortar over burlap infused with industrial grout. The largest piece (below) is about 24" wide. All are designed to hang on a outdoor wall or in the garden.   Ra -- sun god. A merman Mushrooms -- burlap-crete stems, concrete tops. Per request for my wife's recent birthday.

Made with untreated burlap soaked in concrete fortifier, saturated with industrial grout, and layered many times with mortar. These steps insure a strong planter that will last forever. "Sculpting" mortar over a concrete base.  

Current formula for "sculpting mortar"  -- 10 parts sand 6 parts clay dust 2 parts Portland cement 3 parts builder's lime This mix is light and malleable and has held up well for me outside. I sometimes add a little joint compound or asphalt emulsion. I generally mix the dry ingredients in a cement mixer and store it in five gallon buckets. I'll mix a few cups at a time with water. I mix it very damp but clumpy. I'll dip my gloved hand in water and massage a palm full of the mix, which becomes wet and  malleable very quickly.  When I thought of adding clay to an earlier recipe  I searched for  "powered clay," and local shops  didn't know what I was talking about. I found clay dust online sold by the bag at The Ceramic Shop in Pennsylvania.  I get builder's lime at a supplier for concrete products. I cover the work with wet towels and plastic bags to reduce the little hairline cracks that can form as  mortar dries. I've been staining some of t...