What do you want to be when you grow up?
At age 13, while in school in a very comfortable suburban midwestern community, my class was given an assignment on careers. I researched interior design; more specifically the kind of education that was required to work in that profession, and what the career choice might mean.
At the projects completion I declared to my teacher and peers that I wanted to be an interior designer!
On a family vacation road trip in 1974 we drove our van down the Pacific Coast Highway – truly one of the most breathtaking routes in America – as it follows the Pacific Coastline.
We started at the northern border of California where housing and other buildings were scant, and as we got closer to San Francisco I started noticing hyper-cool 70’s buildings, house after house after of-the-moment house – and my adrenaline began rushing. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!
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“Ceilings must always be considered. They are the most neglected surface in a room”. -Albert Hadley
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A few years ago, when I was in the beginning stages of a design for a townhouse in Greenwich Village, the sales rep from Savel Inc. NYC showed us an outrageous rock crystal and bronze chandelier, made by Charles Spada; not necessarily thinking that we would purchase one, but just to share something really special. We flipped over it and soon thereafter our clients agreed to purchase it…
I’ve just begun spending weekends at my new very old house in Litchfield County; every day there is an adventure, often full of ‘firsts’.
Recently I was told my property is connected to the Roxbury Land Trust – but really had little idea what that might mean. With one of my regular ‘partners-in-crime’ – my brother Gary -we ventured into the woods at the back of my land to see what was there….
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…an old friend at the RISD Museum received a facelift…
I had the good fortune to study architecture and fine arts at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD – pronounced ‘riz-dee’) – a small, very old school located in the smallest state in America.
It was in 1877 that RISD, and the RISD Museum were created by a group of visionary Providence, Rhode Island women. The school is extremely well-known however the MUCH lesser known museum remains a ‘secret’ – but not for long!
The 137 year old museum’s collection now has over 91,000 objects and is housed in more than 72,000 square feet in three historic and two contemporary buildings at the heart of the RISD campus; with a curatorial staff numbering 10 as well as an additional 75 members of the Museum team, including the director John W. Smith. It is the 3rd largest college museum in the world (behind Harvard and Yale).
In seeking a way to give back to the school and museum that has given me so much, five years ago I joined the Board of the museum: it has been one of the most rewarding and satisfying things that I have done in my life.
Last week I attended the unveiling of the newly renovated floor of the Radeke Building at the RISD Museum…
On moving day, five guys and a 27 foot moving truck arrived in Connecticut at my new very old house with a lot of stuff!
My friends Steve Gross & Sue Daley captured the spirit of the day in a short video; it is a little bit goofy, but take a look and enjoy some of the excitement!