Art can be anything from paintings to music to writing. It can also be a pair of resin angel wings and a perfectly intact raccoon skull.
Olive Irons, junior environmental studies and anthropology double-major, has about 20 different hobbies. Irons said that their favorite hobbies are bone collecting and resin molding, and they have been doing both since high school.
“I’d start with the weirdest one, which is my bone collecting,” Irons said. “And I got really into resin in high school. You know, super pretty, glittery stuff. It’s wonderful.”
Irons’ bone collecting journey began locally. They began collecting in Spring Branch, and it was from there that they decided to make a hobby of bone collecting.
“My family has a ranch up in Spring Branch. … There’s wild animals out there, and I have family who hunt so we get bones out there all the time,” Irons said. “Just last Easter I found a dead racoon. … I was like, ‘I’m going to come back when those bones are clean and I’m going to get them,’ … and I did. Fully intact raccoon skull with all of its teeth. It’s gorgeous.”
The bone collecting doesn’t always end there, either. Irons will sometimes fashion the bones into larger scale art pieces.
“I make them into art,” Irons said. “I had a lot of that stuff at the art market last semester and there will be more this semester too.”
Irons’ art has included everything from teeth to vertebrae. When asked which has been their favorite, Irons referenced a piece that they had made using a deer spine.
“It’s a deer spine on a canvas that I wired in. … I put clay on the outside to make it look like tree bark and then I put plastic leaves on it,” Irons said. “It’s a representation of the story of Daphne and Apollo. It’s this element of Daphne turning into a tree. That’s definitely one of my favorite pieces.”
Irons got into resin work in high school, and they continue to make art with it today. They often make jewelry with it, and they said that the process is fun and easy to do. Irons’ first sculptures were goddess bodies, a style of sculpture dating back to ancient Greece.
“They are nude female figures. It’s just thighs to neck. There’s no head, and they’re just gorgeous. They’re so beautiful. I got very into the feminist appreciation for the female body so I did a lot of that. I probably made like 20-30 a semester,” Irons said.
Irons also shared that there are several factors to consider if you are interested in the medium. Resin is not cheap and the process can be hazardous.
“It’s expensive. It’s not labor intensive, but you have to have the right tools,” Irons said.
An example of one of those tools is an air compressor, something that cannot be found on Trinity’s campus. However, Irons makes due with what they have.
“Resin in particular is something that you should definitely do some research on before you start with it,” Irons said. “It is hazardous material. You’re supposed to wear a gas mask with it, and you’re not supposed to touch it.”
While it comes with its share of risks, Irons is still making resin sculptures. They said that they plan on continuing to do so while they are here on campus.
“I still love it so much. It should not stop you from exploring. I would love to meet other people who do it and learn all of their techniques,” Irons said. “Do your research and then go for it. Do whatever you want. Try new stuff. Do art, be weird.”
