Firekeeper was shaped from a burl touched by forest fire, found near Fox Lake, where the forest still carries signs of what it’s lived through. Years ago, flames moved through that stretch of land, leaving blackened trunks and open space behind. Some trees held on. Others didn’t. What remained was quiet and charred.

The burl was charred on the outside—burned, cracked, rough to the touch. But under the surface, the grain was alive with texture and color. The marks of the fire weren’t erased, just softened. Signs of that scorched surface are still there, a reminder of where it came from.

A small branch once stretched from this piece—it’s still visible, tucked into the side. Nothing added, nothing sculpted too far away from what it was. Just enough to bring its shape forward.