Aluminum oxide makes a shiny silver; iron oxide, a bright orange. Artist Dave Janesko grew up in western Pennsylvania, and a lifetime of exposure to the residue of mining inspired him to tap into the unexpected beauty of chemicals and heavy metal waste. Janesko places a canvas in a stream and lets dissolved minerals accumulate, forming blobs of intense chemical color and making a visually interesting record of the lasting, nasty effects of mining. He feels as if he is "collaborating" with the streams- rather than taking a photograph or using the residue to make something else, Janesko observes and incorporates the streams' flows and processes into his works. A geologist by training, he also makes works that record the deterioriation of e-waste on canvas (as seen in the image above), creating abstract works with seemingly unnatural colors.
Interview with Janesko in Wired: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/the-art-of-acid-mine-drainage/
More works are on Janesko's Etsy page: http://www.etsy.com/shop/djanesko
