The Carbon Footprints
“The Carbon Footprints” is a series of pyroglyphic drawings created with the application of butane torch on raw wood. In a process mimicking that of traditional charcoal drawing, the original gestures are pushed and pulled with sandpaper to reveal an image.
This series addresses the destructive processes inherent to all human experiences (art and creation notwithstanding). Through the medium of burning via combustion, carbon as charcoal is left behind, and the act of modern living is simulated. Each image is intended to address these themes in some regard: from broad themes of consumption, to more specific critiques addressing climate change, our natural world, and threats thereof.
I began experimenting with the technique several years ago, and recently, the idea for this series began to coalesce. As I continue to be moved to action by a belief in the seriousness of humankind’s current predicament, my ability to draw on the metaphorical substrate of this technique deepens. This series is an expression of my deep concern for the future and those who will be its stewards, and my prayer is that that future will be much less apocalyptic than the ominous imagery I’ve chosen to represent it.