here are two mantels done recently for a lovely and most creative client.  (their kitchen is in the entry below.)  now, as you know, mrs. jones makes it a rule not to drop clients’ names, but in this case i must…joanne berg is a very talented and accomplished artist, and has been so much fun to work for and with. 

when it was time to remodel their fireplace, she gave this picture to her carpenter and to me, challenging us to re-create it. 

here are the original concept, the “box” that he built, and the finished product (with a couple of little details):

she and her husband jim have another fireplace, which she felt needed a little dirtying up.  here it is,

before (pristine) and after (gritty) (plus a little curlicue detail):