ART EDUCATION: PYROGRAPHY

The ancient art of pyrography – literal translation, “writing with fire” – dates back in some Egyptian and African tribes to the beginning of recorded human history.

As the name implies, the technique involves the intricate use of a heated object (a “poker” or nib) to freehand a design onto another material, most often wood or leather. The designs vary in degree of detail and depth from primitive outlines to elaborate lifelike images, achieved by applying different temperatures or pressures to the medium. Wood pyrography works are then usually colored or painted to complete the aesthetic of the art, and some are even embellished with beads or other adornments for an added element of dimension.

Pyrography folk art was abundant in the Great Camps cabins; we diligently hand-selected each of these vintage creations to complement the collection.