My images are created by igniting gunpowder on paper and other surfaces. Cai Guo-Qiang is the father of this unique process of contemporary artistic expression.

Before the gunpowder is ignited, I lay out patterns and use stencils and masks to create different effects. Parts of the pattern are compressed, causing a flare and more intensity of burn. Once lit, there is a sequence of explosions and flares. Smoke and a smell like spice hang in the air above the work. Flames and glowing edges are extinguished with damp rags andthe few seconds of dangerous creation are recorded across the surface.

My first gunpowder series is titled American Bison, in which the process and the image are linked by raw power, and history. I continue to develop and refine gunpowder print making; experimenting with addition of copper sulfate, metallic leaf, plastic and other materials. Igniting gunpowder remains central.