On The Verge submission - southsun360

No doubt this brandy new artist to the scene has created his own original artistic medium. "Thermal Expressionism" was born from explorations in "Thermography". Thermography is photography with the use of a very specialized Thermal Imaging or Infrared camera (IR). IR cameras register the surface temperatures of objects and subjects. Their value is well utilized in military, police, firefighting, energy audit, pollution detection, batch and process quality control, mechanical systems failure, space exploration and aerial mapping to name a few. The very high cost of IR cameras make Thermography a very coveted, limited and specialized profession.

Thermal Expressionism begins with a thermal photograph, complete with ambient air and surface temperate data embedded in the photo for analysis. Dan Asher then works with the picture in a myriad of software applications to adjust and find tune the coloration and temperature controls. Within this process, he 'repaints' over each pixel, transforming the photo into the final framed product.

The framing is also rather unique. Round glass is used to represent the lens of the eye. Dan tells us its like looking at the world through the "eyes of a dragon". Steel rods are brushed to shine and bolted to create a sturdy industrial frame to support the glass. Adding the energy professional's touch, weather stripping....yes, the same weatherstripping used around doors is used to seal the finished work to the outside, while creating a clean gray edge to compliment the steel theme of the piece.

Thermal Expressionism works are left to the audience to make of it what their mind's eye connects. Prints of the original photo with temperature data are displayed along side the work including descriptions of what's happening in the shot. Both visually stimulating and educational, Thermal Expressionism comes to use in a time where energy is on all of our lips. It offers a whole new perspective on bio-based, fossil and renewable energies in both kinetic and potential forms.

About the Artist:

Daniel Asher is originally from the suburbs of New York City. His youth was spent in competitive athletics as well as general wise-assery and humor in the classroom of the New Jersey public school system. His art teachers recognized his original flare for the creative in elective classes from wood working and art to technical drawing and design. His summers and adventure time were spent exploring the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, where he fell in love with the natural world and its denizens.

Mr. Asher took sabbatical study in Israel for both high school and college. A graduate of Business Administration from the Pennsylvania State University, Dan has focused his professional and volunteer career on all things Alternative Energy. He has contributed to this next wave of the "Energy Generation" in a number of ways. From the humble beginnings of non-profit solicitor to solar/wind installer to business developer and marketer to Energy Star home inspector/ certified Home Energy Rater to green events coordinator and utility efficiency program manager. Mr. Asher has raised millions of dollars toward innovative renewable energy projects and saved countless pounds of combustible kilowatts from entering our shared atmosphere.

He has served the Western North Carolina Green Building Council, the Coconino County Sustainable Economic Development Initiative, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative and the Western North Carolina Disc Golf Association to name a few organizations.

Dan's inspiration comes from extensive experience with renewable energy systems, advanced energy efficient construction, photography and classic artists such as Monet and Chagall.

Dan Asher has recently been selected at the new Executive Director of EnergyXChange. EnergyXChange is a Burnville, NC based non-profit that serves as a clay and glass artist studio incubator, a resident's art gallery, an indigenous and rare horticulture center and an aquaponics demonstration site. The art and plants grown at EnergyXChange are fueled by 100% renewable energy sources. Please visit www.energyxchange.org and come visit us too.

Dan can be contacted personally @ southsun360@gmail.com