We got an inside look at Taylar Glasgow’s epoxy resin art business. Taylar gave us all the details from how she makes her products to what inspires her to create, and so much more. Read below to get to know more about Taylar & TGxstudio.
What is your company/brand name and what do you create?
My brand name is TGxstudio and I work with epoxy resin! I make a lot of different things, but I mainly focus on jewelry boxes, coasters, and small disks called petris. I also recently did a few runs of Animal Crossing themed keychains!
What inspired you to pursue the creation of your brand?
I travel for work, and being away from home so much really took a lot of my creative focus away. I had been working with epoxy resin during my free time to get some of that back and had a lot of people reaching out to me and asking if I would sell them certain things I made, so I just decided to make a small little side project. Instead of working another job during the months I’m home, this gives me the time to do something I love and still keep my bills paid.
How did you find your creative niche?
I’ve always loved just making things in general, but I grow out of mediums all of the time. I painted in high school and took a lot of painting classes in college, but once it became a homework assignment I lost interest. Being creative is only therapeutic to me when I’m able to do it at my own pace. Creating resin art and being able to make things when I need to spend time with myself or release some energy has been so good for my mental health. Listening to what my mind needed was the best way to find what I needed to be doing creatively. In addition, I like being able to make things that can be used everyday instead of just hung up on a wall.
Can you tell us how you make your products?
The materials and tools I mainly work with are silicone molds, inks and acrylics, a torch (To pop all the micro bubbles that form), and of course resin. After I’ve created basically a test version of something I wanted to try, I’ll make a lot of that item at once and use the same drop patterns so they come out as similar as possible. Or I’ll add pigment and then ink, and then just move the mixture around in whatever mold I’m using until I see a design that I like start to form.What makes your brand unique and special?
I don’t know about special, but I do like the fact that I haven’t tied myself to working with just one medium or style. So I guess that makes it special. Sometimes I feel like making cute accessories, and sometimes I want to be able to create things that people might hang in their living rooms. I have the room to make whatever it is I feel like making and it doesn’t have to fit into any aesthetic or style.What has been the biggest challenge as a creator for your brand?
Time is my worst enemy. I’m extremely impatient and resin takes patience. 72 hours is how long it takes to completely cure a resin piece and then every piece needs to be sanded, polished, and have multiple more layers put on top. If I get dirt, fuzz, or dust stuck in the resin sometimes I have to completely start over.How do you manage to still find “fresh ideas” and new designs to make?
I go months without being able to even step inside of my studio space because I am always traveling for work. I have so many hours to just sit and think about all the things I’m going to make when I get home, that I get too many ideas to even handle. I think the best thing I can do for my creativity is to deprive myself of it for a while. Then, once I’m home and able to create again I work non-stop trying to fulfill every idea I have.
What do you do to get into your creative zone? What inspires you to be creative?
Every single friend I have is extremely creative, talented, and unique and I am constantly inspired by them. Following other artists of all mediums on Instagram and watching their process videos also really helps me. Art inspires art! (Some great artists on Instagram to follow: @plugsbyemma -plugs and accessories, @stardustcreatives -D&D dice, and @km_resindesigns -black owned business! She makes trays, wall art, coasters, etc.)
How do you feel when you create something?
I feel relaxed. Dropping ink is so therapeutic and I think a lot of people would feel the same. You can find resin art process videos anywhere online and they’re mesmerizing. Sitting alone and working also allows me to release and think through whatever is going on in my head at the moment, just as it does for a lot of people. Letting go of any negative energy I had been carrying calms my nerves and dropping ink or mixing colors aids in that.Do you use creativity to escape? Do you have to be in a certain mood in order to create?
I absolutely have to be in a specific mood to create. Working with resin is so messy and setting up and tearing down is 3x as long as the actual creative process. It is an extremely tedious job and requires a lot of extra layers of clothing, a respirator, gloves, etc. Sometimes I just don’t have the energy to suit up or spend the rest of the week with cured resin in my hair. I have to be energized, inspired, and I have to believe that the outcome will be worth the process.What (or who) has been your biggest inspiration in keeping your creative energy going?
My mom is easily the answer to this question. She has always supported me and pushed me to do whatever it is that makes my life feel meaningful. She’s also just an extremely creative person, so seeing her get excited about something I want to do gives me a lot of inspiration.What are you most grateful for?
At this point in my life, I’m most grateful for the job I have. I travel with 5 of my best friends around the world and get to watch them play music every night. The experiences I have had with them have been some of the best in my life. I also wouldn’t have the ability to be doing anything art related if it weren’t for my job.Do you enjoy sharing your work with others or do you prefer to go unnoticed?
It depends. What I’m doing isn’t groundbreaking. It’s a lot of fun and even more enjoyable when what I make turns out good, but anyone can do it. And a lot of other artists do! Because of that I do feel strange sometimes being like “look what I made everyone!” But, there are times when something I make turns out much better than I expected and I’m like “this is badass I have to show Instagram.”
Any cool tips you can offer to anyone who is looking at starting this type of business?
The first tip is always safety. Resin can be dangerous when you’re not protecting your lungs the way you should be. Always wear a respirator and always protect your skin! (And you hair, I still haven’t learned my lesson though) Because the materials are so expensive, it’s always smart to start with a cheaper brand of epoxy (like Pro Marine Supplies) and then once you get the process down and learn what temperature everything cures at, you can splurge a little and get some more expensive materials that cure clearer and last longer. In general, if someone wants to sell their art or even just show it off, just do it! You are your own worst critic, and there will always be someone who appreciates what you’re creating and wants to support you.
What is the one design you’re most proud of creating?
Right now I’m working on making 18” petri hanging art. The small petri displays are what I’m always the most proud of, so I’m excited to see a giant one hanging up somewhere. There are so many unintentional patterns and swirls in petri art and you never stop finding things to look at in these bigger ones. I’m excited to show them!Besides creating, what do you enjoy doing in your free time? What makes you, you? 🙂
Singing! I write music and sing a lot when I’m not doing anything else. And this year, of course, I’ve had much more time to do that. My goal is to one day be able to record and release music again, but we will see!