Last summer Creative Time met a young artist in Austin, Texas. His name is Diego Carlson. Diego is a very talented boy who does art pieces by burning wood. Marco my son decided to call him and interview him in person, so he could share this interview in Creative Time’s Blog. This was both the first time that Diego was been interviewed and Marco conducted his first interview.
Kudos for both of them!!! Diego and Marco are an example of been creative in their own way☺
Here is the actual interview! Enjoy!!! If you like to order one of Diego’s unique pieces of art you can contact him at
www.burnedtreasures.com
What is your favorite insect?
I don’t really have a favorite insect but if I have to choose one, I would say longhorn beetle, because I am a fan of Longhorns!
Who is the first person to buy your piece of art?
My elementary school vice principal was the first person who bought a piece from me.
When did you first discover you have this talent?
I started wood burning three years ago, I got into this via the Boy Scouts that’s how I bought my first wood burner and discovered that I have this talent.
How do you know how much to price each of your art pieces?
I price each piece by how long it takes me, how much I spent on the materials and how good it looks when finished.
Where do you see yourself with this hobby in 20 years?
I see myself with a wood business. Right now I am trying to get a basic inventory and try to do bigger and better as I go on.
Would you pass this talent to the rest of your family?
Yes, I would
Later in your life would you give classes on how to do this?
Yes, I would. I would hope to get other people interested in this art also.
At first was it hard to do wood burning?
Not really. I just played around and practiced until I got better and then I upgraded to a new wood burner and that made it easier.
What was the first piece of art you made?
I made a lot of small disks
When you started to sell your art did you stick to a certain topic?
Yes, I did! I kept with the Nature theme and animals.
Why did you choose this topic?
Because I do love nature and that is kind of what kept me going.
Do you use different types of wood?
I usually stay with basswood, but I like to try different types of wood because they burn differently and give a different texture in every piece.
Would you plan to have one of your pieces of art in the museum?
If I can get it there, yes!
Which is your best piece of art?
I would have to say the Ram
Will you start doing other things?
Yes, I will definitely start with unique things to make the art stand alone by itself.
Where do you get your supplies?
Mainly at the hobby shops and I go to scrap yards to pick up random and rare pieces of wood.
Would you use this talent to sculpture these pieces in 3D
Yes, but right now I don’t have enough of the right tools to do that, but I would like to do that.
What is the latest piece of art you are working?
A seashell on rocks
How did you start selling your artwork?
Dr. John Abbott is the curator at the insect collection at University of Texas and at Christmas time I made him a present of all what he had done. He said that I could actually sell these pieces cause at that time I had a fair amount of pieces. That is how I started selling my art on a larger scale.
Where was your first sale?
It was at Insecta Fiesta. That is an annual festival in University of Texas and I sold a third of my inventory there.
If people would want one of your pieces of art would you make a specific one they would like?
Yes, I do take special orders and it can be of anything that they want!
Do you also paint some of your pieces of art?
I use mainly prisma colors, which are pencils. I burn over them to give it a richer color and to darken it and burned it into the wood.
Can you explain how do you make a piece of art?
I have at the moment a wood burner that switches out what kind of tips you want, it is like a hot iron that darkens the wood slowly and you can control the heat.
Kudos for both of them!!! Diego and Marco are an example of been creative in their own way☺
Here is the actual interview! Enjoy!!! If you like to order one of Diego’s unique pieces of art you can contact him at
www.burnedtreasures.com
What is your favorite insect?
I don’t really have a favorite insect but if I have to choose one, I would say longhorn beetle, because I am a fan of Longhorns!
Who is the first person to buy your piece of art?
My elementary school vice principal was the first person who bought a piece from me.
When did you first discover you have this talent?
I started wood burning three years ago, I got into this via the Boy Scouts that’s how I bought my first wood burner and discovered that I have this talent.
How do you know how much to price each of your art pieces?
I price each piece by how long it takes me, how much I spent on the materials and how good it looks when finished.
Where do you see yourself with this hobby in 20 years?
I see myself with a wood business. Right now I am trying to get a basic inventory and try to do bigger and better as I go on.
Would you pass this talent to the rest of your family?
Yes, I would
Later in your life would you give classes on how to do this?
Yes, I would. I would hope to get other people interested in this art also.
At first was it hard to do wood burning?
Not really. I just played around and practiced until I got better and then I upgraded to a new wood burner and that made it easier.
What was the first piece of art you made?
I made a lot of small disks
When you started to sell your art did you stick to a certain topic?
Yes, I did! I kept with the Nature theme and animals.
Why did you choose this topic?
Because I do love nature and that is kind of what kept me going.
Do you use different types of wood?
I usually stay with basswood, but I like to try different types of wood because they burn differently and give a different texture in every piece.
Would you plan to have one of your pieces of art in the museum?
If I can get it there, yes!
Which is your best piece of art?
I would have to say the Ram
Will you start doing other things?
Yes, I will definitely start with unique things to make the art stand alone by itself.
Where do you get your supplies?
Mainly at the hobby shops and I go to scrap yards to pick up random and rare pieces of wood.
Would you use this talent to sculpture these pieces in 3D
Yes, but right now I don’t have enough of the right tools to do that, but I would like to do that.
What is the latest piece of art you are working?
A seashell on rocks
How did you start selling your artwork?
Dr. John Abbott is the curator at the insect collection at University of Texas and at Christmas time I made him a present of all what he had done. He said that I could actually sell these pieces cause at that time I had a fair amount of pieces. That is how I started selling my art on a larger scale.
Where was your first sale?
It was at Insecta Fiesta. That is an annual festival in University of Texas and I sold a third of my inventory there.
If people would want one of your pieces of art would you make a specific one they would like?
Yes, I do take special orders and it can be of anything that they want!
Do you also paint some of your pieces of art?
I use mainly prisma colors, which are pencils. I burn over them to give it a richer color and to darken it and burned it into the wood.
Can you explain how do you make a piece of art?
I have at the moment a wood burner that switches out what kind of tips you want, it is like a hot iron that darkens the wood slowly and you can control the heat.
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