Notes:
Drawing is a pyrograph of a water dragon on eight, double layer panels of Rives BFK cotton rag paper.
Pyrography is a term used to refer to burn marks left on a material by the controlled application of a heated object.
Gant was inspired to create this pyrograph by the then-upcoming Chinese New Year that would usher in the Year of the Water Dragon, an occurrence that happens only once every sixty years. Consequently, she chose to create the dragon on eight panels because the number is lucky in Chinese numerology. With the help of Lewis Olson and DH McNabb, Gant used hundreds of pounds of sculpted hot glass to make unique imprints on paper. The fleeting existence of the material makes it impossible to duplicate this type of pyrograph in exact likeness as the burn marks are all that remain of the blown glass used to bring the dragon to life.
"Water Dragon, Anne Gant, Corning, NY, 2012" -- penciled in on verso of bottom layer of first panel (far left).
Anne Gant created this at the 2300°: Fire and Wine event held at the Museum on January 19, 2012. The intended orientation is horizontal.
Notable Acquisition 2012.
Digitized by Boston Photo Imaging May 2012.
