Pyrography

 Pyrography is the ancient art of wood burning, traditionally used to decorate wood and leather.

Literally meaning 'writing with fire', this unique art results from the controlled pression exerted with an electrical burning pen that engraves and burns the timber. This results in a wide range of shades and tones achieved by controlling the temperature and the pression exerted with different tips. I have first learnt the secrets of pyrography in the art studio of my mother where she used this technique to draw on leather the landscapes of her native country, Nicaragua. 

'Under the Gum' is a series of artworks inspired by the Australian landscape and created with pyrography. This ancient technique is used to celebrate the beauty of Australian ecosystems and their unique ability to regenerate through fire.

I acknowledge and respect the importance and cultural significance that Eucalypts hold for Indigenous Australians: similarly to corn in the Americas and to wheat in the Mediterranean, this plant represents the founding connection to the land and to cultural identity. I understand and value the importance of this connection and wish to celebrate it in my paintings.

Moreover, Australian plants have developed the unique ability to regenerate through fire, an element that shapes Australian landscapes and life-cycles. The delicate equilibrium sustaining these ecosystems can be threatened by abusive human practices, including excessive land clearing. My pyrographic work is an invitation to remember the beauty that springs from fire and the regeneration brought forward by these events.

All my paintings are unique pieces free hand drawn, not traced, created mainly on recycled timber and plywood. Many of these artworks travelled around Australia and internationally to take part to exhibition and art prizes, please refer to my CV for further details.