Recently at one of our Pop-ups, a customer requested a commission on a Game of Thrones piece. As a fan of the series, this intrigued me. I have been wanting to do a George R. R. Martin-inspired piece for a long time. Plus we are always getting Game of Thrones requests so it would be worthwhile to have something to show people.
For the uninitiated, Game of Thrones centers around the Iron Throne. Whoever sits on the throne commands the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and Essos. The Seven Kingdoms are overseen by noble houses, some of which claim rightful ownership of the throne while others fight for independence from the throne. Throw in an exiled scion thirsty for what they believe is rightfully theirs and a neverending winter fueled with undead and you have what became a story of intrigue, betrayal, coming of age, torture, revenge, and insanity.
The show ran for 8 seasons, to much acclaim, with the final season causing much uproar among fans of the show from season 1.
What makes Game of Thrones so special is Martin’s ability to world-build. He created an entire kingdom with history, mythology, and conflict. This is similar to what makes many fantasy authors such as Tolkien and Herbert great. You feel immersed in the world. What better way to pay homage to the series than to create a custom, wood-burned image of the map of the known world in 11×16 piece of live edge maple. We made sure to include all the areas of interest calling special attention to the territories that the customer loved the most.
Pieces like this are why I started my business. Creating something that is beautiful, tactile, and something that will be loved for years. Hopefully, we’ll have many more commissions like this to come.
