CONTROL POINT: rust, the slow burn

What has rust got to do with fire? The process is actually pretty much the same, but a slower oxidation process on a different material; metal rather than things that obviously burn and ignite, like wood. I have no shortage of rust coloured iron oxides in my samples of charred earth, so I set off to make my own fake rust surfaces in a series of panels on shiny new doors. Together, they make up a giant composite ash-cloud.

In this 'controlled burn' process, I've drawn the imagery onto the wooden surfaces, (well, mdf, barely a real wood anyway!) with the earth pigments, then attacked with an arsenal of destructive techniques with the intention of mimicking the effect of rusty metal. The risk is always there of completely losing the picture, but thankfully I've gained textures and effects which I'd never have got if it wasn't for taking risks. Scary stuff, as it should be in art!