All About Art: Keith Seitz uses pyrography for whimsy, storytelling

Greenville has truly become a hotbed of international culture and inclusion, represented by many countries, social backgrounds and more. I had the opportunity to speak with Keith Seitz, an amazing artist born in Heidelberg, Germany, when his father was in the U.S. Army. 

Keith says his love for art was encouraged by his sister, whose goal was simply to keep him out of trouble. She would draw lines on paper, and he would create based on whatever she started, giving it a life of its own.  

For the past 13 years, Greenville and OYE’ Studios have become his home. Keith uses pyrography, also known as wood-burning, along with different paints, oil pencils and more to create fun and whimsical pieces that tell a story.  

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He equates pyrography to the art of tattooing. “Once the wood is heated and burnt, it’s permanent. it’s impossible to go back. That is the part that I love -- I love that reactionary playfulness of looking at a piece and seeing what it needs next.” 

For more from Keith, you can visit him at OYE’ Studios, a creative studio in the heart of Greenville. You can also see him at Artistphere, where he’s been selected as an emerging artist for 2024. Online at keithseitz.com, Instagram @keithseitz.