My Story
I’m Adora, and I never planned to become an artist. For a long time, I thought of myself mostly as an engineer, a problem-solver, someone who fit neatly into the world’s expectations. But life has a way of unfolding in surprising ways, especially when you’re brave enough to start over.
When I moved to Canada, everything familiar fell away. The language, the routines, the certainty I used to rely on — all gone. At first, I felt like I had lost my place. But in that quiet, uncertain space, I picked up a piece of wood. I began to burn lines into it. I didn’t know it then, but I was tracing my way back to myself.
Woodburning, or pyrography, became my way to hold onto stories and memories I didn’t have words for. The smell of scorched wood, the slow transformation under heat, the patience it required — all of it felt like a kind of meditation. Whittling soon followed. I fell in love with how something as simple as a knife and a branch could become an animal, a symbol, or a feeling.
Art became the place where my detail-oriented mind and my longing for beauty finally met. Over time, I learned to trust that my hands know what they’re doing, even when my heart is afraid.
There were obstacles — self-doubt, the pressure to “be practical,” the fear that nobody would understand what I was making. But every time I watched someone’s eyes light up when they touched one of my pieces, or saw a student discover the magic of their first woodburned line, I felt a little braver.
Today, I create to honor my heritage, to share beauty, and to remind myself — and others — that it’s never too late to find your own way. I am still learning, still experimenting, still dreaming up new designs inspired by Persian motifs, ancient miniature painting, and the wildness of nature.
My studio, Adorafiction, is more than a business. It’s a testament to resilience, curiosity, and the power of making things by hand. I hope my work feels like an invitation: to slow down, to notice the details, and to remember that creativity can be a way home.