Okay so I’m bowing to a little peer pressure and presenting additional images from a project I did the last month. The day I made my Styrofoam ant project I also kept crossing areas on the riverbank where iridescent flows from something oily was percolating up through the sand and mixing with slow flowing water. In my original story…imbibing this stuff is what mutates the ant into a giant!
I still don’t know what this prismatic film is that is seeping to the surface? It could be old long-buried petroleum or some oily residue from decaying vegetation?
These rainbow flows are a fact of life at the Falls and gives me another setting my sculptures can help interpret. The colors and patterns on the water and sand can be very striking. Here in quick succession are several more abstract images created the same day as the ant project, but minus the Styro-insect.
In the above image, you can see a few recognizable objects including nuts, sand, and coal. I’ll close with a final image of why the ants are so large here…they are drinking the sheen and it’s the Godzilla effect all over again!
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
wow, that river just keeps on giving! I can’t help it, but I’m “dying” to know where the oily substance is coming from.
Good question Sven…this stuff has been bubbling up for years. I do think that there is a lot of decaying matter buried under the sand.
I love the abstract images; especially the second to last one. Does your ant live by the river now or does he go home with you to farm?
Thanks for the comments! The ant followed me home and he’s currently in one of my collecting bags.
The first one is my favorite in the group. And what a great face on that ant!
Thanks Meg…it was fun to make and came together easily.