FLAME TO PLEASE: Local's Hobby Sparks Pyrography Biz
born from a hobby picked up in the winter of 2019, TimberWick & Co. displays stunning artistry
Pyrography; If you’re not familiar with the term, then yes, it’s just as cool as it sounds. The art form encompasses burning designs into wood or leather, and one local from the Menomonie area has crafted their own business sparked by a passion for wood burning.
Mickey Mueller, proud owner of TimberWick and Co., first picked up the medium as a hobby back in the winter of 2019. She noted the desperate need for a creative outlet that her part-time job wasn’t providing, especially when the weather wouldn’t cooperate with any outdoor activities.
“I started just practicing and I joined a couple of pyrography groups on Facebook,” Mueller said. “I really like doing realism; so when I started doing people’s dogs or wildlife, I worked really hard to get it to look so real.”
Now, you can see the proof in the pudding; her drive to improve expands as much as the business itself. While TimberWick and Co. is primarily based in her home, Mueller’s work has also made appearances at previous vendor events in the Chippewa Valley, with the next slated for Autumn Harvest Winery’s upcoming craft and vendor fair on May 27.
Having a hefty number of pieces under her belt depicting dogs, scenery, and other wildlife based on requests, Mueller said pyrography commissions are an immense privilege to accept – not simply works of art, but immersive scenes with strong sentimental value.
“While I’m wood-burning something, I’m there,” Mueller explained. “I don’t have to watch a movie, I don’t have to read a book. In my mind … man, I’m there for however many hours it takes me to do it.”
Every detail — from sourcing and sanding to each individual burn mark — is vital to making the scenes display an accurate, beautiful snapshot into someone’s memory. And with a progressive rise in popularity, it’s certain there’ll be no way to quench that burning desire to elevate her artistry to the next level.
For questions about commissions or TimberWick and Co., feel free to visit their Facebook page at TimberWick and Co. Pyrography, email to mickeymueller7@gmail.com or call (715) 559 - 1498.
