Monday Featured Artisan - Breath of the Dragon

Today's featured artisan is Breath of the Dragon - unique and custom wood burning by Sunfire
http://www.breathofthedragon.etsy.com
Sunfire is one of my Pagans of Etsy teammates. She is also having a 50% off moving sale in both of her shops

What do you make?
- Pyrography means "writing with fire", but what I do is more like "drawing with heat", creating art on wood rather than canvas. I love the fact that there are so many things that can be made with wood. In my shop, I have a variety of things, from key chains and cell charms with small wooden disks that I've burned on, to boxes and altar tiles that serve a purpose, to magnets and larger wall art that are simply decorative. Every day, it seems, I have another idea of something that I could burn, create and sell.

What drew you to your craft and why did you start selling your items?
- Being around my mom and other crafters that were selling their art really got me started. I wanted to find something that I enjoyed making that could be profitable as well. After trying other crafts, from painting and sewing to candle-making, I finally came across wood burning. Back in 2006, a friend bought me a pen and a piece of wood from the craft store, and I was hooked. By late 2007, I was having a great time with it, and had lots of positive feedback on the things I had made. It was that energy that told me I was ready to give it a go as a money-making adventure, so I set up shop on Etsy.

What is your favorite part of creating your items?
- The smell of the burning wood, for sure! It gets in my hair, and for days I feel like I was at a campfire... :) Cheesy, I know, but so true. Besides that, I love creating custom pieces, because I know that someone is willing to pay me for my work. I love creating something, knowing that it is exactly what they want. The variety of projects is probably my absolute favorite part, though. It's great to know I can spend 1/2 hr on one piece, and 4 hours on another, and both are wonderful.

Is your craft a full time endeavor or a hobby?
- I'm hoping to make it full time ASAP, but until then, I work overnight throwing freight at a local grocery store. It's tough balancing both, as well as school and trying to have family time, but I know if I can make it through this, I will have what I want in the end - making enough money doing what I love that I can quit working for someone else and still have the lifestyle I want. It's this image of the end goal that keeps me moving forward, that makes the sacrifices worth it.

When you aren't working on your craft what do you enjoy doing?
- Watching movies or playing games with my boyfriend on the chilly winter evenings. Since I'm going to school for Web Development, it would be silly if I didn't enjoy working on websites... I love the idea of making simple sites for small-biz folks like myself (I created and currently maintain 2 others besides my own). I also love to get out in nature when its warmer, so we do a lot of biking, hiking and exploring the rest of the year.

Is there anything else about your craft or yourself you would like to share?
- While pyrography is my number one crafting adventure, I've also taken on a mission to spread the message of a Pro-Peace symbol. My mom and I started an Etsy shop to sell hand-crafted Turn Peace Around items (http://turnpeacearound.etsy.com). This second shop gives me a chance to explore other crafting methods between wood burning projects. Or, as in recent weeks, to combine the two.


This is a small selection of the items that Sunfire makes, you can see more in both shops:
Breath of the Dragon & Turn Peace Around
Both stores are running a 50% off moving sale! Now is the time to get some great deals on Sunfires handmade works!

Items in this post:
1. Dream Cherish Live plaque
2. original yin yang
3. Smiley Clean/Dirty Magnet
4. Hemp Choker w/ Pyrographed Charm