Merry Oak's history continues to be preserved

The Merry tree, when it failed, it presented an opportunity to use the wood for various different things. This tree, in particular has a story, and a history that is important to keep telling. And it gives us the opportunity to ground people in the present, but also connect people to the past and the future. I have always had a reverence for large old trees, and building furniture, I always appreciate what I'm working with. This tree in particular, once I learned the history of the tree, not only was it a, you know, 350 plus year old white oak. But, the history of the tree in its relationship to the Smithfield Plantation and the formerly enslaved folks that were there and now the descendants of those enslaved people, carried a real significance. But I thought, you know, what didn't it be cool to build, in my mind, a table. A conference table, a dinner table. I just thought that would be a great way to show off the wood and let people continue to enjoy it for many years. I think the tree and the space really has exuded a community based energy an elevate energy after all of these years, after all of these centuries that remains. And I think it's important that you have artists engaging with that history now because they're inspired by the history, and they want to build something out of it, something that'll represent, something that'll live on. The table is a good representation of that, about how it expands beyond the history department. And just talking about the history and finding other ways for it to reach out beyond normal avenues in normal genres. So, in using the wood, for whatever we use it for. Be it the sculpture at the duck pond or a table that will go inside Smithfield. Those are different ways to create a tangible object. My goal is to show off the wood so that you see the intricacies and the grain. You know, if some of those growth rings that witness certain things could talk, it would be a fascinating story.