R Melia e-Portfolio

Artist statement:

My work is an exploration of the transformative power of heat. By using fire as a medium, I seek to uncover the hidden strength within the grain of the wood, mirroring the process of rebuilding oneself after a life altering event. Pyrography is a permanent, unforgiving process; once the wood is scorched, there is no undoing the mark. This mirrors the reality of recovery - you cannot erase what happened, but you can refine it into something of depth and meaning.

I am drawn to textures that suggest endurance. Whether I am rendering the weathered skin of a portrait or the rugged bark of a tree, my focus is on the scars that tell a story. I choose to work primarily on 3mm Birch plywood because the pale wood provides and perfect surface for the deep, tonal range of carbon. Through meticulous, repetitive marks, I am creating a permanent image that will outlast me and draw people’s eyes whether they know it or not. Pyrography is a game of patience, slow - building shades until you reach the one you want using a small, red hot shading tip.