This artist uses sunlight to burn designs into wood

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (InvestigateTV) - Billy Keith is a solar artist. He uses sunlight as his tool to create artwork burned directly into wood.

“You learn a lot by standing in the sun all day,” Keith said.

Keith said he introduces himself as “the sun man,” and his goal is to make more art in public.

His work starts with something he cannot hold in his hand: sunlight.

Keith uses a large magnifying lens — a Fresnel lens — to concentrate the sun into a tiny point of light, hot enough to burn designs into wood. Keith works without stencils, printers or shortcuts, creating each piece freehand line by line.

“It’s taken me 16 years to get to where I can do this so fast and smooth over and over again,” he said.

Keith said part of the process is keeping the concentrated point of light moving. When he makes an error, he keeps going.

“No mistakes. I just Bob Ross that. Just keep on going. Happy accident,” he said.

Keith said he got into the art after what he described as a near-death experience.

“Near-death experience after a night out of drinking Easter weekend,” he said.

Keith said he heard what he described as a whisper telling him, “You’re done drinking. Make art with the sun.”

“I did not die… this is what I was saved to do, and I better be doing it,” Keith said.

Keith said each piece has a story. He’s made many trees, landscapes, animals, and plants just to name a few.

“This is the day I saved the cat from a tree,” he said.

Keith sells his work online and travels for events and festivals around the region. He said he likes creating art publicly so he can talk with people about it.

Keith said he can also make solar art in winter as long as the sun is out. He also uses bingo dabbers to paint his work, a method he said he discovered after finding a bingo dabber on the street.

If you would like to check out Keith’s art, click here: https://www.solarcombustion.art/.