The mapping of this family’s heritage from the old world to the new reflects Joyce’s fascination in patterns and globes. Using glass and gold tessere, the mosaicists Steven Miotto (Miotto Mosaics of Carmel, New York) and Giovanni Travisanutto (Travisanutto Mosaics of Spilimbergo, Italy) translated her lively designs into vibrant mosaics.

The bench as memorial recalls those ancient Roman roadside funerary monuments found outside the walls of Pompeii—a resting place for the living next to one's final resting place. Taller than most, the back to this exedra bench cradles the seated while defining a contained intimate space within the broad context of Laurel Hill Cemetery.

In the client’s opinion this bench connects to, as well as re-defines, American memorial traditions while reflecting our culture’s renewed interest in memorialization. This thought fits nicely since in addition to being the client, Patricia Conway is the author of Art for Everyday, the classic book on art-furniture.