Artist Bio
Located in Bismarck, North Dakota, Amber Hall (Avhall) has been honing her skills to find the right media for her work. From a young age, her desire to create art of things that she loved soon became a fun hobby. She started with drawing and from there she has experimented with many media. From one of these experiments she came across Pyrography (wood Burning).
Amber is a self taught Pyrography artist who uses her knowledge of drawing to extend her talents into her beautiful works of art. Although the two mediums are close, "smelling the burnt grains of wood can take one back to a camp fire." From small sketches to large scale projects, her art is a highly-personal reflection of her interests in nature, fantasy, and rustic styles.
"My experience with Pyrography has been really fun. Besides an occasional burn here and there I really enjoy the calming aroma from the wood."
My Statement
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My experience with pyrography has been not too long, only a few years. I was never taught the basics in college or nothing like that. I experimented with the many worlds of art: Drawing, painting, ceramics, digital art, printmaking, photography, and more. I’ve always loved drawing since I was little. I was introduced to pyrography in high school for a single project, and yes I did burn myself but I still enjoyed it. It wasn’t until I went to college that I came across it again. I considered using the media as my main focus, but the professors didn’t like different media outside of their liking so I didn’t do much of it unless it was just for fun.
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Even after college I wanted to go back to pyrography and it just stuck with me. The sweet aroma of the wood when burning is always a pleasure. The different shapes and sizes challenge my mind to make something for it. It takes me back to a campfire or a walk through the woods. I use the skills I have for drawing for pyrography and I feel like I do both at the same time.
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I’m not one for galleries, never have been. I can’t hang a frame straight to save my life. That and I’ve never felt like everything I make has to has a meaning. It can be exactly what it is and have no special meaning. It could have nostalgia or rustic feel sure, or intrigue ones interests/ hobbies. Call me crazy for thinking that but forcing a meaning on it takes the fun away, in my opinion.
I do pyrography because I have fun, relax, and get my mind off things. Do I smoke myself out from deep burns; yes. Do I burn myself; not often, but yes. Do I make a mess with stain, and bark; oh yeah. I may only have a few years in self-taught pyrography, but I have 10+ years of drawing on paper to back me up. And I couldn’t be happier with the work I do.
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-Amber Hall