Pritam Mehta

Artist Pritam Mehta uses the art of pyrography to create stunning animal and plant-life visuals on wood.

Anchored by: BI Staff
Photographs: Courtesy the artist

Artist Pritam Mehta discovered the art of pyrography quite by chance and rather late in life, undergoing a self-learning process that quickly transformed from a hobby into a profession. The art of pyrography has been around for centuries. It is an age-old technique where a heated metal implement is used to burn on wood or leather, creating a decorative pattern. Using a hot metal tool and a steady hand, Pritam burns realistic images onto unfinished pieces of wood — his artworks reflect his love for the natural habitat and wildlife. That’s not all, he has perfectly combined art and utility. So, in addition to making wall-art, he burns images on coffee tables, side tables, wood stumps, sandhuks, bed head-rests, and just about any item of furniture. Pritam uses a wide variety of woods with varying hardness, colour, and grain — every piece has unique physical characteristic, thus ensuring that no two pieces are alike. The wood he works on are seasoned by a natural time process and all pieces are kept in the open for atleast one year before he uses them. First, they are sanded to a glass-like smoothness, and then the images are burnt on them. He applies a grain-enhancing oil and pest control treatment, before finishing off with a sealer.

Email: art@pritampyrography.com