Why Is Fuse Burning Photographs So Damn Hard?

I love photographs, I always have.  

So adding my gunpowder and fuse to one of my favorite mediums is a perfect blend. Right?

I thought is was going to be easy.  Take a cool photo.  Throw some gunpowder on it.  And "boom" something textured and cool.

Well, I did not understand that burning photographs is not easy.

Photographs on thin paper and laden with chemicals burn very quickly.  So I need a lot less gunpowder than normal.  Too much and the heat warps the paper.

If I use fuse, it needs to burn super fast.  Anything at a moderate pace lights the photo on fire. And while that is fun, it is hard to frame ashes.

Cleaning up the debris takes on a life of its own.  Photographs scratch very easily.  So I need to work light with soft brushes.  I need to take my time.  Which is not easy for me.

That is the way it is though.  

I blow one up and nod my head in appreciation.

I look up close and am surprised and astonished.  It makes me think of something I had not considered before.

The pictures tell a story.  The pictures have bright colors.  Textures.  They have emotion.  You can feel it.

I understand it's hard. This is art. The best art. 

Stick Vega is the American Gunpowder Artist, former CEO, and author of LESS KILLING. Stick currently lives and creates explosive pop art at The Blast Factory in Madison, Wisconsin. Not limited to one medium, he works in gunpowder drawings and paintings, photography, investing and writing. Please follow Stick on Facebook and/or Twitter.