Madeline Weinrib was focused on her painting career during the 1980’s and 90’s, and then in 1997 she created a line of contemporary area rugs for ABC Carpetsas a means of expressing her painterly sensibilities into a woven medium.
The rugs were a big success both commercially and with the design industry media; she seemed to have hit a sweet spot in the marketplace with her bold patterns and bright colors.
Now, more almost two decades later, and with a staff of over 30 people and a much more complex operation, Madeline began seeking support on running the business from someone inside the industry, someone who could understand and appreciate the creative process.
I have never been to the Himalayas, and wasborn after 1951; but I have been empowered numerous times in my adult life by a passage in the the writings of a Scotsman who did climb the Himalayas in that year.
Last Thursday was the last day of theHOME Section of the New York Times; there are many of us who lament this change, remembering when the section was a very important source of news about the world of design.
I look back with great appreciation for the countless things I learned from this section, never mind that my first real media exposure was in the HOME section in February of 1989 – just two years after I opened Glenn Gissler Design.
I was introduced to the most important and the most influential HOME section writer, Suzanne Slesin, at an opening at Furniture of the Twentieth Century. I contacted her a few days later with hopes of showing her a few recently completed projects.
Suzi came to see three projects, and literally days later “A Designer Test His Wings; Maximal Style for Minimalist Tastes”appearedon the front page of the HOME Section! Including the jump page the story covered five square feet (!) of New York Times ‘real estate’ including seven photographs, three of which included me.
I nearly died!
The HOME Section has been a mere shadow of itself for many years; there are few people who would argue that. Some even see this change as a death knoll for design coverage in the New York Times.
At least for the moment I am looking at the glass as ‘half-full’, and I am hopeful that the nay-sayers will be proven wrong.
In the vast sea of contemporary art shown at The Armory Show last week, by an impressive roster of international art dealers, Two Palms Press showed a spectacular series of brand-new and remarkably well-priced prints by New York artist Terry Winters (b.1949).
With so much media attention on record shattering prices for artwork at auction it was refreshing to find works that made my heart sing – and that are truly within reach of mere mortals…
In the world we live in people often feel compelled to express grandiose reaction to things, experiences and people – resulting in the overuse of three words:
“I LOVE IT!”
Is this grandiosity yet another effect of the celebrity-driven-reality-TV-selfie times in which we live?
Are people living their lives as if the cameras are rolling?
Or is it a devaluation of LOVE?
Shopping for clothes:
“I LOVE IT!”
Looking at furniture:
“I LOVE IT!”
After hearing a joke:
“I LOVE IT!”
Looking at Art:
“I LOVE IT!”
etc., etc., etc…
For me, LOVEis a big and meaningful word.
Perhaps this attention to the ‘meaning’ of words is due to the influence of my father, an accomplished journalist f0r whom words have real meanings, and should be used judiciously.
Having a strong emotional reaction to things, experiences, and people is something I understand. In fact, beauty, delight – and yes, even love – are essential ingredients for me in the process of living, and in the process of design; but I am seeking an enduring love, not a momentary crush. I have found that the novelty that can incite a crush rarely stands the test of time.
Sometimes the subject or object or person at hand is suitable, good, great, excellent, superb, perfect, incredible, even inspired; however sometimes it is just fine, the sensible thing, perfectly appropriate, in good taste, a great solution, but it doesn’t necessarily evoke “I LOVE IT!”
Whether it is my own reaction, or someone else’s, I am suspect of the immediate “I LOVE IT!”response. Will the feeling last? Or is it merely a novel rush of adrenaline? Never mind that these three words can sound disingenuous, if not utterly meaningless.
Much of what I do as a designer is to identify, and then solve problems, LOTS of problems requiring LOTS of solutions. Experience, logic and intuition play significant roles in this problem solving; and no I don’t LOVEevery solution. I am in pursuit of a kind of alchemy. This alchemic phenomenon can occur when the cumulative effect of experience, collaboration, invention, a thoughtful approach and intuition are brought to bear in problem solving; where this combination of considered choices results in layered, nuanced, interesting, intelligent, subtle and maybe even sublime, spaces and experiences that can evoke a deep-seated LOVE, one that endures over time like a wonderful and satisfying personal relationship.
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