Melanie Weaver Artwork

Technique
I had been making assemblage art for over ten years when I developed my assemblage technique using texture paste. I was working in my studio on an assemblage piece in August 2001. I was experimenting with texture paste as an adhesive agent. As I worked, I began to cover the pieces I was assembling in the texture paste. When it dried, I realized that the texture paste not only created wonderful surface texture, but was also a very strong adhesive.

The texture paste molded around each found object, and encased it in a plastic shell. The texture paste I used that August was a translucent white, and to further unify the objects, I painted everything black. I added layers of painted highlights to complete the piece. Later, I realized that my source for the texture paste has a black version, and that is what I now use. I took one of my pieces to the manufacturer of texture paste in Los Angeles, to show them my application of their product. It was very satisfying to be able to thank them in person for the quality of their product, which has given me such a gratifying studio process.

The highlights I added in 2001/2002 were acrylic paint, applied in monochromatic layers, from dark to light. The work completed after 2003 is finished with layers of spray paint. That choice was definitely influenced by where I live—in San Bernardino, California. I had worked with both taggers and graffiti artists, trying to help them connect with the potential of their work—potential far beyond vandalism, and with a longer life expectancy. In the end, I think that they influenced me more than I influenced them, because I integrated spray paint into my studio practice.

Baby 12” x 4” x 6” Mixed Media, 2009	Birthday Party 8.5” x 10/5” x 2.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Community 13” x 13” x 1.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Confession 15” x 5.5” x 4.5” Mixed Media, 2004	Dancers 13.5” x 6” x 3.5” Mixed Media, 2004	Devotion I 17.5” x 7.5” x 6.5” Mixed Media, 2006
Devotion II 16” x 7.5” x 7.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Freedom II 13" x 8.5” x 2.5” Mixed Media, 2004	Freedom I 15.5” x 6.5” x 7” Mixed Media, 2006	Full Dressers 15” x 5” x 3.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Garden 10.5” x 11” x 2” Mixed Media, 2009	Gardener 13” x 8” x 4.5” Mixed Media, 2009
House Blessing 14” x 6.5” x 9” Mixed Media, 2009	Incubation 10.5” x 4.5” x 4.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Inspiration 18” x 8.5” x 4.5” Mixed Media, 2006	Madonna I 42” x 7” x 3” Mixed Media, 2003, 2009	Madonna II 41” x 7” x 4” Mixed Media, 2003, 2009	Madonna III 51" x 9” x 3” Mixed Media, 2003, 2009
Prom 13.5” x 3.5” x 5” Mixed Media, 2004	Play 10” x 6” x 4” Mixed Media, 2004	New Start 10.5” x 12” x 7” Mixed Media, 2009	Music 13.5” x 5.5” x 5.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Merry-Go-Round 11.5” x 5” x 4.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Protection 13” x 8” x 2.5” Mixed Media, 2003, 2009
Wardrobe 15.5” x 5.5” x 6” Mixed Media, 2009	Study 15” x 9” x 3.5” Mixed Media, 2009	Self Worth 13" x 7.5” x 3.5” Mixed Media, 2004	Rest 12” x 5.5” x 4” Mixed Media, 2009	Wedding 13” x 5.5” x 5.5” Mixed Media, 2009

This page is maintained by The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio 45469-1390. It was created by Matt Boston and last modified by Sumithra Kulkarni on 03-07-2012. Please send any comments to jroten1@udayton.edu.