The art that hangs on my walls all has a little story. I’ve found that the more my home represents me, the more I enjoy being there. I like items that have stories and pieces that I have a relationship with. The things that I look at and that people see in my home are a reflection of who I am.

I first met Peter Tunney when he was riding a Vespa at the Roberto Dutesco exhbibit that he curated. Ever since I had first seen his work years before, I admired how his dynamic personality was so visible in his work. One afternoon on a whim, I visited him at his Franklin Street studio. I got to see a bit of his process and some of the pieces he had in the works. As way can lead to way, Peter gave Bryan and I the piece above as a gift. Every time I look at the painting, I’m reminded of the playful and passionate aspects of
the most important thing in my life, LOVE.

Aaaah, the wonders of New York! I literally stumbled upon an antiques store in Soho a few years ago and really liked a series of “drip” paintings by the artist Paul Richard. There was a very personal quality about them that I connected with. I admired that he took such care with his work as to even craft the frames that surround his paintings.

Our Rat Terrier, Charlie, is truly apart of the family. (Although Lyla thinks he’s just hers, “My Charlie!”) I commissioned Paul to immortalize him. I just love everything about this painting: the variety of line weight, its graphic quality, and how Paul captured Charlie’s sweet expression!
Also, I think it’s kind of fabulous to have a portrait of your dog.

Many people have seen the Wild Horses of Sable Island series by Roberto Dutesco. This entire series is truly amazing. I have purchased many of his pieces for clients and spent a good deal of time in the gallery discovering the nuances of each photograph. I fell in love with this piece printed in a custom rose gold hue that now hangs in my dining room. I see such strength and serenity in this horse and the blowing field of grass that surrounds it. I knew it was something that I could look at forever.

I’ve always held a dear place in my heart for animals. They’ve been an important part of my life and the representations they hold can be tremendously powerful. This has become more apparent to me as my collection of art expands. Growing up, we had two beloved pet bunnies, Dr. Who and Romana. Bunnies hold for me a childlike innocence and come with a sweet dose of nostalgia. When I saw this Hunt Slonem piece I knew I wanted it. Those bunnies being so dear to my childhood, this one now hangs in Lyla’s room.

One part of my job that I truly love is getting to constantly experiment with materials and explore new techniques for manipulation. Last spring, I was working with splatter paint techniques to design wallpaper for a client. Getting a wild hair, I grabbed a sheet of glass and covered it in black pigment. As I poured acid over the pigment, it created crystallized abstract forms. Liking the effect so much, I created this art piece that now hangs in my entry.

Art can have such a huge impact visually and emotionally on a home. I truly treasure these pieces I have and the stories that go along with them. I will keep them forever and hopefully have an ever growing collection. Next on my wish list: a Diamond Dust by Warhol, a piece by Anselm Reyle, and one by Aaron Younge.
What stories does your art collection tell about you? What pieces are on your wish list?

::XOXO::