Make It at Market: Meet self-taught Leeds pyrographer creating work with nature and witchcraft theme

She is soon to be featured on series three of the popular BBC show Make It At Market.

The show, hosted by expert craftsman and member of The Repair Shop team Dominic Chinea, helps budding entrepreneurs turn their crafting into successful businesses.

Pyrography is featuring for the first time on the show and Chantal hopes to showcase the beauty and versatility of the art.

“Being featured on Make It at Market is a dream come true,” she says. “It’s an incredible opportunity to share my passion for pyrography with a wider audience and to learn from the experts on the show.

"I’m excited to take my business to the next level and inspire others to pursue their creative dreams.”

Pyrography is an ancient art, which translates as ‘writing with fire’. The technique, which Chantal has been practising since 2017, uses a heated tool to burn designs onto surfaces such as wood and leather.

Artists use special pyrography pens to create intricate patterns, shading and textures, to create anything from simple line drawings to realistic art.

With the help of her mentor, renowned pyrographer Eben Rautenbach, Chantal is seen on the show dedicating herself to mastering the art and expanding her business.

Having spent several years trying to earn a living from pyrography, she feels it’s her last chance to make her craft pay.

Chantal, who enjoys attending local alternative markets to sell her artwork and also has her own website for online sales, has a thyroid condition which causes extreme fatigue.

But she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to make her business dream a reality.

Filming took place in the beautiful setting of Waterperry Gardens in Oxford in the summer of 2024. After the initial filming period, makers use the advice given by their mentors over the next eight weeks.

They then return to reveal how they have progressed and discuss how the advice has helped their businesses to flourish.

Writing on Instagram Chantal said it was an “honour” to be part of the show.

“For someone who doesn’t like being in photos, being in front of a camera was completely out of my comfort zone,” she says.

“But I can honestly say it was an unforgettable experience.”

The episode featuring Chantal will air on Thursday March 20, at 3.45pm on BBC One.

Viewers can watch her navigate the challenges that are set by the show’s mentors and gain valuable insights into running a successful art and craft business.