With the precision of a surgeon, June Krell picks up a stylus, similar to a pen but with a red-hot tip, and uses it to burn shapes into a piece of wood.

She's not sketching. And she's not painting. Instead, she's carefully using heat to sear wood to create an image.The Tamaqua artist, who ventured down the meandering road of art in 1942, has spent the past seven decades immersed in illustration.At first she dabbled in traditional oils, acrylics and watercolors, even pencil sketches. But eventualy, she learned to experiment in whatever caught her fancy.What sets this free spirit apart from other artists is Krell's affinity for wood-burning.As a result, she's been able to combine her talents in a way that showcases her versatility.In other words, she comes up with an idea, perhaps sketches it on paper, then burns it into wood, and finally embellishes it with paint."It's something different," she says. "Nobody else is doing it.Local rootsKrell, 82, is the daughter of the late Ida and Raymond Tiley of Reynolds, a hamlet below Tamaqua.Her father was a supervisor at Atlas Powder Co., the hometown industry and once the region's largest employer.During World War II, he was reassigned to Kent, Ohio, and so the family moved.There, Krell took oil painting classes at Kent State University.That class sparked her creativity.The Tiley family eventually moved back to Tamaqua and June married Donald Krell.The couple had five children and all were exposed to the gift of art and creativity."I used to knit and sew for the kids," June says.A wood-burning kit given as a gift to one of the children eventually introduced Krell and her husband to the joys of the unique craft.They taught themselves to burn images onto plaques or small boxes, often using nature and wildlife as subject matter.June and Donald embraced the pasttime. Even better, the entire family acquired appreciation for art, nature and science.Fittingly, all of the Krell children honed their skills in those fields.Today, daughter Donna Litvinas is a scientist, June Krell-Salgado is director of cultural affairs at Salisbury University, Donald Jr. is a machinist, Diane is a chemical engineer and Roy is a mechanical engineer.True to the adage, the apples never fell far from the tree.PyrograhicsBy label, Krell would be known as a freehand pyrographic artist.Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks from a stylus-type scorcher. Hers is called a staticmaster.Krell selects just the right variety of wood to match her subject matter. Her favorite is obeche, from Africa."It's almost like a canvas," she says.Over the years, she created countless plaques, novelty boxes and custom gifts, completing commission work that provided art enthusiasts with something they'd never find at Spencer Gifts.Her typical themes include everything from nature and wildlife, to race cars, helicopters, and pets, especially dog portraits."I did a whole lot of pictures of hunters with the game they shot," she says.Her most detailed work, perhaps, is a burning that depicts the interior of a vintage Allentown general store.Her least favorite subject matter was a request by an outdoorsman for a plaque showing a large bird swooping down to snatch a mouse."I didn't like it, but I did it," she says.She did, however, turn down a few other requests, particularly anything she felt was in poor taste.TrailblazerWhen Krell turned to wood-burning some 40 years ago, she actually was a rarity.Few women did it.Over the past few decades, the Krells became well-known hobbyists who traveled to shows, flea markets, and special events all over Pennsylvania, presenting handiwork that just couldn't be found anyplace else.In particular, she has fond memories of the Farm Show in Harrisburg and an annual show at Jack Frost Ski Resort.When she and Donald displayed her colorful pieces at arts and crafts venues, admirers assumed the wood-burning was done by him."They'd say, 'Your husband does such beautiful work,'" she recalls with a smile.At one point, Krell was asked to teach classes.But the soft-spoken South Ward resident has the heart of an artist, not a teacher.Her art is personal. It's something unique to her.Her inspiration is pure, wondrous and even emotional, not something easily reduced to lectures, classes and instruction.After all, inspiration at its greatest can be whimsical and spontaneous. And that's the essence of June Krell.Sadly, soulmate Donald passed away in 2012.But Krell has continued her passion, working from a front room studio in her Penn Street house."Art has been good to us. It helped to educate our children," Krell says.Sitting by the window, she lovingly carves 'Donald' into a piece of wood, inspired by heartfelt memories of her husband of 62 years.She revels in the joy of family, including eleven grandchildren.Today, Krell is the caring matriarch of a group of loved ones who understand the dynamics of art.The entire family appreciates the role art has played in their lives, thanks to an artist who follows her heart.Art is all about inspiration.And June Krell is a woman of art.