Description
About The Artwork ~ Michael’s Process
“Some people may refer to my work as a bowl, vase, or vessel with some embellishment. For me it is all about the pyrography. Turning wood requires a studio with a lathe, and other equipment; acquiring the wood, learning to understand the wood, and gaining the skill to execute a turned piece. However, the burning work is by far the major bulk of the time I invest in creating my finished pieces. I sometimes venture out and create sculpted work, but I always come back to turning with pyrography as my focus. I consider myself a pyrographer much more than I do a craftsman wood turner.
“My process starts by using a soft lead pencil to layout the basic design. I then use the burning pens to cut and texture the wood. There is no room for mistakes. A dropped burning pen or a momentary lack of concentration would render the piece unusable, as there is no way to erase or paint over it. It is a slow-moving process, requiring deep concentration and a meditative focus of texturing the wood. It may require days of burning to complete one piece. I prefer to use designs that can be recognized when seen from across a large room. Most of my pieces will come with and upright stand to further allow the appreciation of the artwork at a distance.”
