Meet The Maker: The Resin Reserve
Resin artist, alchemist, resin-gineer. Kate Ede of The Resin Reserve has always kept us in awe of her marvellous and beautiful creations. Inspired by patterns in nature, Kate is a resin and upcycling artist specialising in furniture and home décor.
We were lucky enough to grab some of Kate’s time to discuss her passions, her choice of epoxy and what the future looks like in the world of The Resin Reserve.
How did you get into resin art?
It all started when I was absolutely blessed to fall pregnant, but all I could think about was how was I going to provide for my little girl. Being a little free spirit at heart, I was tired of 9 to 5 ruthless sales jobs that just didn’t suit me and I wanted to build something of my own where I could express myself freely.
Fast forward over years of research; watching countless YouTube videos, tutorials, webinars and literal blood sweat and tears, I’ve racked up many hours of trial and errors and lots of hurdles jumped and obstacles avoided. I mean at one point I cleared some stables, put up a 3×3 meter tent and was pouring in a boiler suit in -3°C – disaster! 3 years later, here I am with my little resin business off of the ground.
When you think about your own company, your only USP really is you. So I thought, what do I love? My degree is in history, I’ve done some archaeology, travelled the globe but at the root of it (awful pun intended) what I truly LOVE is nature!
I’m passionate about those naturally occurring patterns of pure beauty that inspire and make us all feel better. Nature really is the cure. From sunsets and ocean waves, feathers and animal prints, to the cross-section of a fruit or naturally occurring crystal formations. It’s cheesy but I think Mother Nature is the best designer, and there’s a little bit of spirituality in that too!
Kate has been working on this peacock feather table.
How did you come across Entropy Resins®?
As a stroke of synchronicity and pure luck, I came back into contact with an old friend Sammy. He invited me in to try out Entropy Resins and they are on my doorstep, what are the chances?
What do you love most about using Entropy Resins?
Firstly, their general ethos of “Making Things Better” and considering the ethical implications of the production and use of their products on the planet. I was hooked right away as this is totally in line with where I want to go with my brand.
After years of experimenting with countless toxic and petroleum-based, incredibly fumy resins, some of which I couldn’t even pronounce given that their names were so ‘industrial’, I am so proud to say I only use Entropy Resins and I absolutely LOVE IT.
Not only for the ‘green’ message but one major game changer for me is that I can purchase both fast and slow curing hardeners with the same resin. This gives me the diversity of projects I need, especially as I always have numerous pieces on the go at the same time. One day I can quickly complete an order for some coasters that will be cured the next day and I can also mix up a batch with the slow hardener and work on my larger deep-filled projects like a pyramid lamp or a guitar.
Each time I’m guaranteed crystal clear casting, I can eradicate bubbles easily and the result is stunning. So on a performance level, I’m so happy with Entropy Resins that I don’t need to go elsewhere. I’m even really enjoying experimenting with their tints as they are such beautiful natural-looking colours!
I want to cut down on my wastage as much as possible too, using silicone reusable cups instead of throwaway plastic for example. I love how Entropy Resins provide reusable mixing containers and repurposed wooden stirrers.
Check out the incredible detail on this peacock feather table.
What does the future look like for you?
Looking to the future, I’m branching out more into the upcycling aspect of my work and moving into larger pieces of upcycled furniture, with a resin feature top for example.
I love the idea of RESINcarnating old forgotten gems and I know Entropy Resins loves interesting projects that involve recycling used materials so I’m so excited for that.
I want to say thank you to Sammy for reaching out to an old friend at the beginning of her journey and can’t wait to see what we create!
You can keep up to date with The Resin Reserve on Instagram, Facebook and keep your eyes peeled for a new website coming very soon.
Geometric pyramid created by The Resin Reserve
About Entropy Resins Bio-Based Epoxy.
“Making Things Better” stretches across every stage of the Entropy Resins journey, donating 1% of sales to environmental causes through the global movement 1% for the Planet.
It all started with two brothers who cared about the planet and wanted to change the industry. The Entropy Resins model is built from the idea that there is no better chemistry than that inspired by Mother Nature. Through green chemistry, sustainable raw materials and efficient manufacturing, they realised they could conserve energy, minimise harmful by-products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Today, Entropy Resins takes pride in creating epoxy resins and hardeners that lower the environmental impact without compromising performance.
Did you know that manufacturing one litre of Entropy Resins with Super Sap technology saves over the industry average:
Image courtesy of Entropy Resins
You can find out more about the benefits of bio-based epoxy systems and how they affect the environment by viewing the full report at entropyresins.com
