What’s an Explosionist sculptor to do when the machine shop down the alleyway drops material manna outside his back door?

. . . Make Pop Art M-80’s with block printed motifs!

Of course, the lighters are only there to show scale, these won’t actually light. Below is a video of the process:  (music by my band Beerdo)

No, it’s not my style as of late, but I have always wanted to try woodblock printing (invented in China). I could not resist the red, spiral wound cardboard of this found material. It even smells like ordinance when cut. I use fireworks to burn patterns in my abstract art. Besides, who doesn’t love melting down a bunch of glue sticks?

All you need to carve a woodblock, use a piece of sanded plywood.  Go here https://www.texasart.com/ and get a brayer (roller) and block printing ink.

It is a new technique and a new graphical direction for my art.  In this very political year it seemed like a good time to get back to my “Icon and Symbology” series which I have shown at The Art Car Museum and Lawndale Art Center (a review of that show:  http://www.thegreatgodpanisdead.com/2012/12/going-nowhere-fast.html  ).

Questions, comments, critiques:  jamesciosek@msn.com