About Rachael
Hello! My name is Rachael and I am a college
student from Buffalo, New York and I have been working in the pyrographic
arts since 2008 when I received a wood-burning kit for Christmas. In 2011, I showed my work for the first time in the High School Division of the Glen
Park Art Festival in Williamsville, New York. I have had the opportunity to participate in the festival for the four years and I served as chair of the High School
Planning Committee for three years. In 2015, I had the opportunity to get a tent and show my work in the adult division of the festival so I got my own tent on the main road. Visit my shop to see overflow inventory from the festival in addition to some new pieces!
I started working with glass in 2012 and I now makes glass mosaics and stained glass. I like to find ways to combine different crafts, techniques, and styles in my work. Some of my new pieces have the “stained glass effect” which is where a translucent glass mosaic is laid on a clear glass or plexiglass surface so that it looks like a stained glass window when it is held to light (see the window hangings in my portfolio). I am self-taught in both wood-burning and glass and I am always striving to improve my work. |
About Rachael's Process
Every year I try to expand my knowledge and experiment with at least one new process. Over the past few years I have worked with oil-based colored pencils (these work best on wood surfaces), stained glass, glass mosaics, wood-glass combos (sometimes I will wood-burn a quote or image and lay clear glass over it and a mosaic around it. I do this mostly in my trays- see examples in my portfolio), and this year I am working with watercolor paints on the wood surface. Each piece is hand made with great care and it takes anywhere from a half hour to over a week to complete. (See the videos tab to see process videos of how I make my work.) With each piece that I craft, I learn something new and hone my skills.
About Wood-burning
Pyrography means "fire writing" and it has been used since the first century, though some think it is much older. Wood-burning involves using a hot tool to burn darkened and indented markings into wood (or dried gourds in early times). Modern wood-burning irons are essentially heated electric pens that heat up to approximately 950° to efficiently and evenly burn into wood.
More Reading on Wood-burning-
History Lesson: The Art of Pyrography by Jeni Sandberg for The Etsy Blog
History of Pyrography by Patrick Faleur for The Pyrography Website
More Reading on Wood-burning-
History Lesson: The Art of Pyrography by Jeni Sandberg for The Etsy Blog
History of Pyrography by Patrick Faleur for The Pyrography Website