The delicate (and smoky) art of pyrography

Emily Rose Hastie, a high school teacher from the Gold Coast, discovered the art of pyrography after her mother asked her to draw a mouse on a wooden cheese platter. Initially dissatisfied with her attempts using a laser printer, Hastie purchased a $30 soldering kit and began experimenting. She quickly fell in love with the medium and now co-founded her own art studio.

Hastie's pyrography work has gained recognition, including a solo exhibition and an entry into the 2021 Archibald Prize. Pyrography is an ancient art form practiced by various cultures, including Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, who used it to decorate possum-skin cloaks. These cloaks held significant cultural importance, serving as records of an individual's journey and being buried with the wearer upon death.

However, the art form was lost due to colonialism but has since been revitalized in Aboriginal communities. Iluka Sax-Williams, a Taungurung and Zenadth Kes artist, grew up watching his relatives burn designs on wood and other materials. He has carried on the tradition and has built a career based on pyrography. Sax-Williams credits the revival of the art form to Aunty Vicki Couzens, Aunty Lee Darroch, and Aunty Treahna Hamm, who were inspired by First Nations cloaks and embarked on a mission to reawaken the practice.

Sax-Williams finds pyrography therapeutic and calming, as it allows him to slow down and focus on the intricate details of his work.