Setting the Stage – Tree Artwork in the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department Lobby

A few days ago, I was asked by a fellow Bookhouse Gal on Twitter about the tall tree painting in the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department. It’s a topic that has been on my list of things to cover on Twin Peaks Blog as you know how I like to obsess over these little details. As it turns out, there are actually five (!!) different images used in the lobby as we’ll see in this Setting The Stage article.

The first painting we see is early in the Pilot Episode when Sheriff Truman takes a call from a frazzled Pete Martell. This is the only time we’ll see this particular image in the series. Thanks to the Twin Peaks Visual Soundtrack, a video produced for the Japanese market by Warner Music Vision in 1992, I was able to quickly identify it.

The Visual Soundtrack is a delightful time capsule of the North Bend and Snoqualmie area from the early 1990s. The video crew visited many of the film locations found in Washington State including the former Weyerhaeuser Saw Mill Office. This spot was used for some interior locations for the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department in the Pilot Episode, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and parts of Season 3. The crew captured footage of the same tree painting found in the Pilot.

Even better, they did a slow pan down the image which provided the artist’s name. It’s not a painting but rather a photograph (#46965) by renown Pacific Northwest photographer Asahel Curtis.  HistoryLink.org shared an insightful article about his work:

“The Seattle-based photographer Asahel Curtis made 60,000 photographic images over a 44-year career. They provide a remarkable visual record of the Pacific Northwest. He was the brother of the renowned photographer Edward Curtis; the brothers had a falling out when they were in their 20s, and never reconciled.”

Knowing the image number, I attempted to locate the photo in the University of Washington library which has an extensive collection of his work online. But searches returned zero results. In fact, I couldn’t find a single matching image except for one listing in an auction catalog from 2001.

O’Gallerie Auctioneers held an auction on March 26-28, 2001 of Decorative and Fine Art items. On Page 15, I found a description that appeared to match the photo. It sold for $750.

“ASAHEL CURTIS (American, 19th-20th century). Hand tinted photograph A magnificent redwood 39 1/2 in. by 13 1/4 in. Signed in white ink (copyright) 46965/ASAHEL CURTIS Framed.”

I wonder if this framed photograph that sold at auction was the same one from the Weyerhaeuser Office. Why? According the the Snoqualmie Valley Record, the Sawmill was closed in 1992. Could they have liquidated assets to this Portland-based auction house? Without an auction image to match, we may never know. Laura was right – life is full of mysteries.

I combined the footage from the Visual Soundtrack of this photograph into one large image (click to enlarge). For now, it may be the only photograph available online for this iconic work from Asahel Curtis.

When we get to Episode 1001, the tall tree photograph has been replaced with what appears to be a watercolor image of trees by a small river. Since the Pilot was filmed in Washington stage for Season 1, it makes sense that they wouldn’t have the same image from that episode. I attempted to identify the artist but searches were unsuccessful.

Here’s where it gets strange (what else would you expect from Twin Peaks?):

In Episode 1002, the tall tree image is back … sort of. It’s not the same one from the Pilot Episode. This was a David Lynch-directed episode, so perhaps he had a peachy keen interest in having a similar image in the shot.

By Episode 1004, the tall tree paining has been replaced with the painting seen from Episode 1001.

It’s seen in Episode 1006 when Special Agent Dale Cooper enters the Sheriff’s Department.

Yet the painting from Episode 1002 makes a sudden reappearance in the Season 1 finale. We get a good look at it as Lucy Moran waters plants while listening to Deputy Andy Brennan recount the tale of catching Jacques Renault. This is the final time we’ll see the third tree painting in Season 1.

While the third painting doesn’t reappear at the Sheriff’s Department, we catch a glimpse of it at the Blue Pine Lodge in Episode 2015. You can see it through the swinging door as Pete Martell returns with Josie Packard’s dry cleaning.

Thanks to The Mauve Zone, we get a better look at what will be the fourth tree image to appear in the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department lobby.

Following the runaway success of Twin Peaks Season 1, a series of publicity shots were captured by ABC Television photographers. Major Garland Briggs (played by Don Davis) was photographed next to the new tree image on July 24, 1990.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to identify the artist but I’m wondering if this was created especially for Season 2.

The first time we see the fourth tree image is in Episode 2002 when Andy Brennan is in the lobby wanted to speak with Lucy Moran.

We get a better look at the full image in Episode 2003 when both Deputy Hawk and Dick Tremayne are in the lobby.

Deputy Andy is seen hiding next to the tree image in Episode 2004.

A better look at the bottom of the image is found in Episode 2004 when Special Agent Dale Cooper leans forward after noticing Andy’s boots.

A quick comparison from the Pilot Episode (1000) and Episode 2004 shows they are different images.

Sheriff Truman’s giant, wet head blocks the image later in Episode 2004. I just needed an excuse to add another shot of Michael Ontkean – I really did love his portrayal of the small town Sheriff.

Deputy Hawk breeze by the tree painting in Episode 2005, while Special Agent Dale Cooper passes by it in Episode 2008.

We only see a corner of the image when Gwen, Lucy Moran’s sister, is sitting in the lobby during Episode 2008.

The painting plays peek-a-boo in Episode 2009. Dick Tremayne also walks by it while on his way to the conference room in the same episode.

A sliver of the image is seen behind Deputies Hawk and Brennan as Cooper prepares to leave Twin Peaks in Episode 2010.

Little Nicky may not have been so upset if he just turned around to see the painting in Episode 2011.

Pete Martell and Dale Cooper discuss chess moves in the Sheriff’s Department in Episode 2017. A chess board diagram highlighting the Capablanca-Marshall game from 1909 covers the tree painting.

In Episode 2018, Andy practices repelling in the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department lobby. The tree painting is seen in the background.

A similar view of the tree painting from Lucy Moran’s desk is seen in Episode 2020.

A really great shot of an empty Sheriff’s Department is seen later in Episode 2020. Luckily, we also get a good look at that painting as it’s the final time it will be seen in Season 2.

Twenty-five years later, we return to the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department with Season 3 on Showtime. We’re greeted with a fifth version of the tree image in the lobby as seen in Part 1 when the Insurance Salesman pays a visit to see Sheriff Truman.

In Part 4, we get a better view of the new tree image which was made to closely resemble the other tall tree images from Seasons 1 and 2.

When Deputy Chad intercepts the mail in Part 10, we can see the tree painting in the background.

The final appearance of the tall tree painting in Season 3 is in Part 17 when Deputy Andy runs through the lobby.

If you were keeping score at home, here are all the variations of the tall tree image from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department. I also included the shot from Episode 2015 at the Blue Pine Lodge to offer a comparison.