Boundaries Sculpture

Pyroglyphics, by Ken Ketter “The Art of Wood and Electricity” I have been an avid woodworking hobbyist for years. My most significant body of work was commissioned by famed architect Vern Swaback. Dozens of original, one of a kind furniture and wall art pieces were produced for Vern’s high end Paradise Valley/Scottsdale clients as an adjunct to their homes created by Vern and his team. I have been working on perfecting a new style of art, which I named Pyroglyphics, for the last 2 years. I now collaborate with my wife, son, daughter-in-law and four granddaughters to produce wonderfully unique art pieces. Pyroglyphics is a unique art style combining fine woodwork with a technique called Fractal Burning. This technique uses 12,000 volts of electricity which is passed through wood to produce Lichtenberg Figures. These figures resemble lightning bolts and are largely random. I use a proprietary method to control the burning process to allow the expression of my vision for a particular piece. Once burned, the piece is often colored by using wood dye to enhance the story told by the burn. A specialized method of applying the dye is used to bring the piece alive. As an alternative to dying, a clear finish is often applied to the piece after burning to let the natural beauty of the wood dominate. This emphasizes the interaction between wood combinations, their grain patterns and the Lichtenberg Figures. This approach is most frequently used with exotic woods such as Bubinga, Purple Heart, Bloodwood, Sepele, Leapardwood, African Padauk, Black Limba, Ipe, Machiche, Wenge, Shedua, Teak and Tropical Walnut. Domestics such as Cherry, Maple, Alder, Hackberry, Black Locust, Flagstaff’s much maligned Siberian Elm, local Gambel Oak, Quarter Sawn Oak and Mulberry are also frequently used. All my work is one of a kind, original pieces. I will consider designing and producing custom pieces upon request. Email: or Cell: 928/853-5339.