I probably shouldn’t be allowed in antique stores or salvage shops. My head goes crazy thinking about all the things I can create from things left behind. I often pick up old frames for my artwork at these places. I love the patina and the dings and scratches that show character (just like me!). Last weekend Bart and I went to Vermont Salvage Co. in Hartford, VT, and this folding screen practically jumped out and bit me.

A beautiful old folding screen before painting.

It is in good shape and the guy told me it is made of teak and mango. The detail carving is really beautiful, and what caught my eye is the individual panels that are just begging for more decoration.

It’s clear that it has been well taken care of and it folds nicely to fit perfectly in our Subaru. Obviously, it was meant to be!

So I brought it home. My wheels are turning. Hunt scenes? Ship scenes? Pastoral vistas? There are so many possibilities.

What I’ve decided to do is to let a customer choose what they would like to see painted on these panels and I will create, paint and install them to make this beauty perfect for someone’s home.

Detail of carving on top of screen

Detail of carving beside one of the panels.

Here are a couple of close up shots of the carving. It is meticulously painted with soft glazes of color. Really stunning.

There are 4 rectangular panels and one oval panel on the top, and 4 rectangular panels on the bottom. Here are the dimensions:

screen dimensions

What I am envisioning is hunt scenes on the top four panels. These could be customized with the client’s favorite horses, hounds, etc. or with specific hunt scenes relating to the client’s area, etc. The center oval seems like the perfect place for a Hunt insignia or button, or maybe a fox head. I used Photoshop and a bunch of my paintings to show what this could look like:

Carved wood folding screen with Hunt Scene inserts.

I think it would also be wonderful with Tall Ships and an anchor in the center oval. Really, the possibilities are endless!

Would you like to commission me to create this for you? To do it like the photo above, I would charge $3500. To customize it with the top four panels plus the oval painted with your choice of motif, I would charge $4500. If you want to go all out and have the bottom four panels painted as well, this would be $6000. When I customize pieces, I work with the client , showing sketches, painted studies, etc., so you know exactly what you’re getting before I begin painting. Send me an email if you’re interested. It will go to the first person who says they want it and I doubt I will ever find a screen like this again!