This piece uses entirely recycled materials like most of my artwork, but it is a little better at transforming common materials into something valuable looking and pretty.

The background material is the gold foil off of a chocolate bar, altered with a torch (the silver circular areas are what the gold foil does when subjected to heat). It is then adhered to a backing of foam core board (rescued from the trash also) and given a subtle arc pattern by smoothing with the edge of a triangle. Then it is further articulated with embossing grooves into the foil in an abstract pattern. This, in turn, is then augmented by jewel-like shapes of torch-altered CD (that particular type of CD transforms to look like gem quality aquamarine!) set recessed into the surface of the foam board. Finally, some brass straight pin heads are placed in a pattern within the composition to add more interest.

It’s shiny and golden and looks like it is set with jewels – it resembles something from an ancient tomb but it is made with stuff that people throw away every day. For some reason I get a big charge out of making this happen.