Arrange
Loose gunpowder is laid by hand across raw wood and canvas — every line of the animal mapped grain by grain before the burning begins.
Danny Shervin · Jackson Hole, Wyoming
PAINT WITHGUNPOWDER— Original Wildlife Art by Gunpowder Artist Danny Shervin
One-of-a-kind wildlife art born from hand-laid gunpowder and fire — no ink, no paint, just controlled burns on raw wood and canvas.
As seen on & worked with
A late-night accident became a life's work
“I take something historically destructive and burn it into the wildlife that surrounds me in the Tetons — elk, moose, owls, trout. Each piece is one spark from ruin.”
— Danny Shervin
The Process
Built to destroy.
Used to create.
Four steps, a few seconds of fire, and zero room for error. This is how a Wyoming wildlife portrait gets made.
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Ignite
Hundreds of controlled burns, one section at a time. The powder catches and scorches the surface — each ignition is irreversible.
The Burn
Fire does the painting. Heat scorches the panel, smoke feathers the edges, and the scatter of the powder becomes texture.
Permanent
What's left is fixed forever in the wood — a wildlife portrait made from something built to destroy.
Featured Work
Wildlife, in fire.
Danny Shervin: Jackson Hole Gunpowder Artist Transforming Fire Into Wildlife Art
What started as a late-night accident in college has become my life's passion. I'm Danny Shervin, a Wyoming artist who creates one-of-a-kind wildlife art using gunpowder and fire from my studio in Jackson Hole.
My gunpowder art process is as unique as it sounds: I carefully arrange gunpowder by hand on canvas or wood, then ignite it to burn permanent images of the wildlife that surrounds me here in the Tetons. Each original artwork captures the elk, moose, owls, and trout that define this landscape, created through a fire art technique that transforms something historically destructive into something beautiful.
This explosive art method has captivated millions online and earned features on ESPN, Disney, and international media. But beyond the viral videos, each custom piece represents hours of meticulous work and a deep connection to the Wyoming wilderness that inspired it.