Jun 23, 2021 Activities & Education Learn about Gabriel Dawe’s work Plexus No. 27, then make your own rainbow paper! This project is easy to make, and it can be repeated multiple times with lots of color combinations. What colors would you use to represent yourself? Gabriel Dawe, Plexus No. 27, 2014, thread and steel hooks, 120 in. × 132 in. × 20ft. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2015.30 Look Closer: To make this artwork, Gabriel Dawe used miles of string wrapped around hooks attached to the walls. Dawe became interested in working with thread while growing up in Mexico City. He would often visit his grandmother and watch her embroider, decorating fabric using a needle and thread. How can creating art remind you of your heritage or identity? Dawe’s grandmother taught her granddaughters to embroider and sew. However, she did not teach Dawe, because she did not think it was appropriate for boys. The rainbow colors in this work have also been used as a symbol of the LGBTQ community and are used in the Pride flag. Activity: Make Rainbow-Marbled Paper Materials: Plastic drop cloth or aluminum foil Shaving cream Acrylic paint or food coloring Ruler / scrapper Toothpicks Spoon / butter knife Instructions: Step 1: Put a plastic or protective surface down prior to starting the project. Step 2: Spray out a layer of shaving cream onto the surface that is about the same size as the piece of paper you are using. Step 3: Flatten the shaving cream into an even layer with a spoon or cooking utensil. Step 4: Pick out what color you would like to marble your paper with. This can be done with either paint or food coloring. Scatter the colors across the shaving cream. Step 5: Once you have all the desired colors on the surface, take a toothpick or straw to gently move the paint around on the shaving cream. Experiment with different patterns and movements. Step 6: Place the paper face down onto the shaving cream/paint mixture until you feel the surface has been covered. Step 7: Peel your paper up, and use a ruler or scrapper to push the shaving cream off the surface. This will reveal your new rainbow-marbled paper! Helpful Hint: Think about drawing on the finished paper! Include things that you feel represent who you are or things you enjoy doing. Have fun exploring! Share your rainbow marbling with us on social media – tag #crystalbridges on Instagram. Written by Marlie Allgood, art instructor, Crystal Bridges.
