A Gallery of artwork by Woodburning artist & Pyrographer, Don Worden
The Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia is one of the most photographed mills in the United States. It has been the subject for calendars, postcards and other forms of artistic expression for many years. It is also one of Don's favorite man-made subjects, having been woodburned by him on many occasions. Don can provide a copy of this mill in a variety of sizes. If you are interested in the Mabry Mill, contact Don for information about getting your personal individualized burning of Mabry Mill.
Something new & special: Fan-Carved Peace Birds by Carolyn
There may be another show or two added to our schedule. When that occurs, they will be posted here. In the meantime, if you have a special request for a unique, "one-of-a-kind" burning for that someone special--or just for yourself, contact us at www.arquistudiogo.com.
An opportunity to enjoy a unique piece of handcrafted art...
and memories that last a lifetime...
For over thirty years, Don has been experimenting with, and developing his own unique approach to the ancient art form known as pyrography. This experimenting led Don to basswood as his choice of wood. The softest of the hardwoods, its nearly grainless surface provides a natural canvas for creating replicas of God's scenic beauty.
Don's subjects often are drawn from nature and include animals, birds and other scenic representations of God's creation. They also include such man-made creations as old mills, covered bridges and homesteads. Don has created many, many burnings of people's homesteads from a bygone era. The monochromatic approach gives a feeling similar to the old sepia prints from early generations of photographs. Don's attention to such details such as perspective and shading give a photographic quality to his work.
Woodburnings from St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, to the Blue Ridge Parkway and animals, lighthouses and bridges in between...
Subject matter for Don's woodburnings has greatly expanded through the years, and includes special landmarks (such as St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow), and a wide variety of animals and birds captured in their natural settings. Included are such diverse items as wooden business cards (16 by 12 inches in size), a woodburning of Nantucket Island, castles and a large number of houses. Some of these house projects were taken from old photographs and they range from homesteads that no longer exist, to very modern structures. In one case it was a pair—a cabin in the mountains near Lake Arrowhead, and a residence in one of Southern California's many communities. They have also included quite a number of pets, such as dogs and cats and other animals.
Re-creating your favorite scene or bridge or animal...
Because of the individual nature of each woodburning, keeping a large inventory of items has never been practical. At the same time, there are a number of items on display here that have become best sellers at festivals (such as the Yankee Peddler Festival, Canal Fulton, Ohio in September), craft shows and other craft boutiques (Sols' in Berlin, Ohio, for example). If you are interested in any of the items shown here, please contact Don for information about orders. Or, if you have an idea for a special project, contact Don for information about how such a project could be undertaken.
These two animals from the American west are rarely seen these days. The bison, or buffalo can be seen in larger numbers today than for the last century or so, thanks to better game management, and a growing number of buffalo farms. Their meat is leaner and more healthy than from cattle, although I still do enjoy a good steak!
The puma or mountain lion still roams the American west, primarily in the high country of Colorado and other mountain states.
August
The cardinal is the state bird of Ohio, and several other states.
Grizzly bears are one of those animals I enjoy burning with my non-electric tools, at period shows. If you are ever near one of such shows where we are demonstrating, such as the Waterford Homes Tour and Craft Fair in October, stop by and watch me burn without the use of electricity!
Cover
Cover from the Calendar that Donna made for me of some of my wood burnings. With knowledge and use of such programs as Photoshop, she makes her Dad look pretty good!
December
December A few years ago a friend had me wood burn a Nativity scene for his wife.
February
Wolves and members of the deer family are among my favorite subjects. The moose depicted here reminds me of all the ones we saw while visiting Alaska.
January
My wife loves elephants! Tigers are fun to wood burn, too.
July
The Bald Eagle is one of my more popular subjects. I have burned these images many times. Thankfully, the Bald Eagle is on a comeback. We saw several in Alaska, but we have also seen more of them in Ohio in recent years.
June
The moose and the deer are two of my more popular subjects. I also have burned elk and a variety of members of the deer family.
March
Waterfowl are fun to watch and to use as subject matter.
May
Here Donna combined a horse with a log cabin. Maybe the connection is that those who lived in log cabins many years ago depended upon "horse power" for their transportation! This is actually a more modern style log cabin, and the horse was probably more for recreation that transportation.
November
I grew up in Western Kansas, where one of the primary game birds were pheasants. I was not a hunter, but I knew lots of men who were.
October
Wolves are a favorite subject matter, and I have sold many versions of wolves.
September
Many people like and collect images of covered bridges, such as this Ohio bridge. My wife and I are pictured in our period costumes, as we have exhibited at several such shows through the years.
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