RAYMOND KOH

Raymond Koh is a pyrography artist, born and raised in Johor. Pyrography simply means wood burning: every line and every shade is drawn by hand with a heated tip, layer upon layer, until the tones come through.

He was first introduced to the art in the mid-1970s through a Peace Corps volunteer, and calls it love at first sight. Today he works on it full time, burning on wood and on thick paper, across portraits, landscapes, wildlife and florals. He likes to work in series, often five or six pieces on a single subject.

Pyrography is still little known in this part of the world, and his greatest hope is that more people will come to see its beauty and uniqueness. At Wanawani, he runs workshops for the curious and a full syllabus from basic to advanced. Beginners start with mandala line work, then move on to floral, wildlife, landscapes and portraits.