tool tuesday: spatula

Another "tool tuesday", another tool. This time from an art school buddy of mine, Lesley. An educator and mixed media artist, Lesley makes conceptual art using non-traditional materials. And sometimes using non-traditional tools! Here's what she had to say about one of those:

Lately my favourite tool is an angled spatula, typically intended for cake decoration. I have no problem re-inventing the function of tools as a means of experimentation, often with really pleasing results. To that end, I’ve been ‘icing’ Styrofoam cakes with various wall compounds to appear as if iced like a traditional cake. This is the initial construction step of my latest sculptural works. The fact that I’m using building materials blurs the lines between cake decorating and renovation and the traditional roles of male and female therein. The spatula has the right amount of control and spontaneity to muck about in order to achieve a look that isn’t too contrived. The fact that I’m a cake decorator as well helps me push the techniques beyond buttercream. I find that using a familiar tool as a jumping off point to play around with some not-so familiar materials is a comfortable point of entry for creative exploration.

Thanks Lesley! Bloggers...I am in need of a tool to feature next tuesday. Send me a blurb on your most valued tool and it will be honoured in these pages!