Kate Hodges
My work
I create unique and originally designed pieces following the markings and grain of the wood. I feel it's important to be honest to the nature of the wood and not hide its history and journey.
Unlike most other pyrography artists I don't sand the wood prior to working, therefore it can still be quite rough and texturised even perhaps with the original chainsaw cuts upon it.
Due to this I have developed a style of building up the image using small dots and markings rather than fine drawing lines and shading.
History
Pyrography literally means "writing with fire" from the Greek pur (fire) and graphos (writing). It is thought to be one of the oldest art forms and may even date back to prehistory when designs would be created using the charred remains of fires. In China pyrography was known as "Fire Needle Embroidery" and in medieval times it was known as pokerwork.
Approach
I feel it's important to celebrate the journey of the wood and therefore to incorporate in the design the chainsaw marks from when the tree was felled, the water marks from when it was stored or the cracks and faults from how it has weathered. I try to source the wood from local timber merchants and wood workers, often asking for the pieces which are unwanted, discarded or due for the fire.
I also buy wooden objects from charity and secondhand shops again in order to re-purpose and recycle them into what I hope is a more aesthetic and intriguing object. My style draws on various cultural influences from Aboriginal, Maori, Celtic and Japanese designs.
I enjoy imperfection and asymmetry, I love the ethos of the Islamic prayer mats that they are not perfect and have a flaw because life is not perfect. I am drawn to the Japanese aesthetic Wabi-sabi 'It is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete, It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional...' (from the book Wabi-sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, by Leonard Koren)