Burnt wood technique

Charred or burnt wood – sometimes the artist finds these in nature and uses them like the decaying wood described above and sometimes he burns them himself. The use of fire is the most natural process to achieve form, thanks to which „raw,” natural, powerful feelings, emotions tied with feelings of loss, death, and tragedy are achieved, all brought about by the awareness of the destructive strength of fire. This technique allows one to speak of the most dramatic questions, like war, crime, and catastrophe. The burnt surface creates a dramatic effect of contrast in comparison with the natural color of the wood. The complementing metals of copper and bronze bring out the most important elements of the composition. Bas-reliefs from wood or metal give greater narration and wider subject matter, allowing for the expression of social relations and human dreams.

Burnt, charred, and seared paintings – this technique is closer to painting than sculpting. It represents a fundamental turn from the earlier experiments of the artist. If it is in sculpture the artist gives human actions natural elements, if it is paper, thus material made by man, it becomes subject to fire, which is a natural element. The result is a two- dimensional work that resembles the technique for burning wood. Similar to burning wood, it stirs up strong emotions in the viewers, tied with feelings of unhappiness, death, and tragedy, but also the happiness of life. These are the most advanced of Tomaszewski’s visual techniques. This is a very difficult technique because the artist cannot make a mistake – the effects are irreversible, a moment of carelessness can ruin many hours of work. However, with the use of this method one can express the most dramatic emotional moments. Even though works made by this technique appear to be brittle and not lasting, the steadfast experimentations of the artist in the field of chemistry allowed him to make burnt paper very durable.