Family Tree Fire Screen

The ‘Family Tree’ Fire Screen was commissioned by the owners to pay homage to a magnificent 200-year-old maple tree, which was lost during a storm. They were moved to pay tribute to the beauty and joy it had provided the family and to the generations preceding who had passed the seasons under its boughs.

The maple tree was not only an object of beauty but also a reliquary of family memories. “I feel as though that tree defined the personality of this old, historic house; if it could speak, the stories it would tell,” the client asserted.

‘Family Tree’ weaves a joyful metal tapestry of images and references. A skull and cross bones speak to the legend of Capt’n Kidd and buried treasure (somewhere still to be found on the property!). An iconic wishing well stands filled with real and mostly imagined legendary stories. A split rail fence defines the front yard with its Great Tree. Initials carved into its massive trunk celebrate generations of grandparents, parents, three adventurous boys, and the family dog. In this tableau, the blessings of family life are the hidden treasure.