About FireWork Designs

Heather Martin of FireWork Designs is a practicing Pyrography artist and teacher.  She creates artistic expressions burned into wood surfaces including wall decor, charcuterie boards, spoons and more. 

She also creates drawing on paper using ink, graphite, watercolour and pyrography (writing with fire).

From the lines and patterns naturally in the wood to the slow submersive process of woodburning. Heather is drawn to the extensive depth and texture attainable with the medium that is almost sculptural.  Heather completed her Honours Bachelor’s of Arts at University of Toronto and Sheridan Institute in Art and Art History.  She specialized in Sculpture, Print Media and Photography.  The accumulation of her interests are quite apparent in her work. 

Heather has recently returned to art full time after working as a manager for 15 years.  During this time, she continued to develop her technical skills in wood burning through commissioned work and markets.

Since returning full time, Heather continues to refine her interests in creative expression.  Selling her work regularly at Local Pieces Gallery and local markets where she often demonstrates her practice.  Heather enjoys sharing her passion for woodburning in classes and workshops up to 25 people at locations including Local Pieces Gallery, Elora Mill, Elora Centre for the Arts, Wellington Museum and Archives and other locations.  She proudly supports the Arts by regularly volunteering at Local Pieces Gallery, Downtown Fergus.  

A principal theme in Heather's work shows her interest in exploring how accumulated movement, or passage, subtly affects its environment. Like a rock made smooth by a river or the evidence of the beaten path.  Heather explores the fluency of subtle movement with both her subject and with her process of creating.  She finds herself submerged in the sensory journey of creation interested in the tactility of the process and the end creation.

With her woodburnings, Heather refines quick chaotic contour drawings with finalized choices of line when burning.  She enjoys playing with the natural markings and contrasting the textures of her burnings on the smooth surface of the wood.   She brings her sketches and drawings to life in a tranquil and encompassing process of woodburning.  She enjoys studying her subject, looking at how the light source changes the dynamics of shape and thinking about how each subject occupies space differently.  Often inspired by nature, she admires the forest and landscape, taking notice of the ways each branch grows differently from the trunk, the way the leaves and smaller branches dance together in space.

Recently Heather has begun to explore her medium on paper hoping to capture the tactility and nuances of her process by applying gradual and intended shading, texture and details.

Heather enjoys focusing on creating sinuous, varied lines that begin to abstracts her realistic drawings or renderings and highlight movement or change.  

Heather hopes to invoke a sense of calm in the chaotic using expressive lines and changing markings.  Through her work, Heather is excited to continue to explore topics of history, movement, changing environments, temporary vs permanent, the passage of time and coexistence in natural elements.

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Do you have questions about my work and what I do? Do you have ideas about subject matter you want to see more of?  Are you interested in collaborations or a specific project you would like to propose? Are you a business looking to sell my artwork in your shop?  Do you want to know more about my class offerings and team building workshops? 

Please take a look at my FAQ's but also do not hesitate to reach out!!!

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Lastly, I wanted to thank you for your support.  Every order, review, comment, like and share makes a difference and I am truly grateful.

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Thank You!

Heather