
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.