Wood burning art demonstration by Smruti Kurse
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Originally from Pune, India, Smruti Kurse’s artistic foundation was laid at Sir JJ School of Applied Arts & Institute of Applied Arts in Mumbai, India. Smruti worked freelancing as an illustrator for local magazine After moving to the U.S. in 1995 and spending years in the corporate world, Smruti chose to pivot toward her family, working with a non-profit organization (US Hindi Foundation), and community service —a transition that eventually enriched the perspective she brings to her canvas.
Smruti has consistently recognized for her artistic excellence, earning multiple accolades in the Campbell Artist Guild’s annual exhibitions from 2017 to the present, including the coveted People’s Choice Award. A specialist in unique mediums, her pyrography work on gourds has twice secured first place from the California Gourd Society (in 2017 and 2025). Additionally, two of her fine art pyrography pieces were featured in Monochromica Magazine (Issue 006, 2025), a curated publication highlighting exceptional monochrome and color-dominant art. Most recently, Smruti’s oil painting was selected for the upcoming "Green" exhibition at Arc Studio in San Francisco, with an opening reception scheduled for July 25th..
Smruti states, "My art is a study of atmospheric moments—the silent, suspended instants that occur just before or immediately following an event. I capture the tension and lingering resonance in these non-narrative spaces, striving to convey the authentic beauty of daily life.
While I utilize diverse mediums, such as oils, colored pencils, charcoal, graphite, and pyrography (wood-burning), pyrography is central to my practice. This monochromatic medium enables me to capture fleeting moments as tangible artifacts with striking realism and tonal drama. The discipline of working with heat and wood is the ideal vehicle for freezing those moments of profound quietude and suspense.
My work, which blends realism and impressionism, uses the stark simplicity of pyrography to explore a fascination with how genuine life is portrayed. By manipulating this medium, I articulate distinct ideas, inviting viewers to engage with the subtle, yet powerful atmosphere held within life's in-between moments."
Originally from Pune, India, Smruti Kurse’s artistic foundation was laid at Sir JJ School of Applied Arts & Institute of Applied Arts in Mumbai, India. Smruti worked freelancing as an illustrator for local magazine After moving to the U.S. in 1995 and spending years in the corporate world, Smruti chose to pivot toward her family, working with a non-profit organization (US Hindi Foundation), and community service —a transition that eventually enriched the perspective she brings to her canvas.
Smruti has consistently recognized for her artistic excellence, earning multiple accolades in the Campbell Artist Guild’s annual exhibitions from 2017 to the present, including the coveted People’s Choice Award. A specialist in unique mediums, her pyrography work on gourds has twice secured first place from the California Gourd Society (in 2017 and 2025). Additionally, two of her fine art pyrography pieces were featured in Monochromica Magazine (Issue 006, 2025), a curated publication highlighting exceptional monochrome and color-dominant art. Most recently, Smruti’s oil painting was selected for the upcoming "Green" exhibition at Arc Studio in San Francisco, with an opening reception scheduled for July 25th..
Smruti states, "My art is a study of atmospheric moments—the silent, suspended instants that occur just before or immediately following an event. I capture the tension and lingering resonance in these non-narrative spaces, striving to convey the authentic beauty of daily life.
While I utilize diverse mediums, such as oils, colored pencils, charcoal, graphite, and pyrography (wood-burning), pyrography is central to my practice. This monochromatic medium enables me to capture fleeting moments as tangible artifacts with striking realism and tonal drama. The discipline of working with heat and wood is the ideal vehicle for freezing those moments of profound quietude and suspense.
My work, which blends realism and impressionism, uses the stark simplicity of pyrography to explore a fascination with how genuine life is portrayed. By manipulating this medium, I articulate distinct ideas, inviting viewers to engage with the subtle, yet powerful atmosphere held within life's in-between moments."
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5301 McKee Rd, San Jose, CA, United States, California 95127
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Host or PublisherEast Valley Artists
