The Ox Pasture Firescreen

We think that its delicious to have fires lit in all seasons and that knowing how to set a summer fire that glows and sparkles but doesn’t heat a room is a skill to behold. The huge bummer though of the fireplace is that when they aren’t lit, they are a big, cold, black hole in a room, vacuuming out all energy. You can stack birch logs but it looks even sadder and less promising of a real fire, especially when the dust collects.

This screen was conceived to both fill the fireplace opening with a sign of life with its leafy-ness and to diminish the effect of the black hole behind it with its gesso white finish — instead of the usual cold metal or soot-black wrought iron.

The Ancient Greeks planted laurel trees on either side of their front doors to defend their houses against sorcery and laurel branches are used in cleansing rituals. The bay laurel on this screen is arranged as a lattice, with naturalistic leaves projecting beyond the frame, enlivening the whole situation.

Hand made by a third-generation blacksmith, each leaf is slightly different and the effect is nature and life.

Firescreen measures 30.5” H by 40” W by 7 “Deep and is handcrafted wrought iron finished in matte white, though black, custom colors & sizes are available.