after working with a lot of showrooms @ the boston design center + even opening my own gallery in the bdc [2018], once I stumbled upon the seattle design center i just knew I had to somehow get back into designers world. as i sent my intern off to a few selected showrooms she instantly had a connection with sue, a seasoned sales rep at baker | mcguire. turns out said interns mom + sue both were in the same sorority! she shared my sustainable collection samples + discussed how it would work well with the aesthetic of their space. modern + textured, it was a match. excited to color match for them using a specific blue [baby blue eyes] + create new works that have been in my mind for a while. next step is getting the word out about sustainable art while still a relatively new concept here hopefully one that is appreciated among the naturesque evergreen state. thank you to baker | mcguire for this amazing opportunity.
when you get to go to an event with a friend it makes it way more fun. joining tailored home design (sara s) was just a pleasant surprise. she tells me she wants to attend the lecture by hgtv show personality candice olson + we have about twenty minutes before it starts so we casually stroll the halls of the sdc. unlike the boston design center that I was part of for about ten years the seattle design center is smaller but more intimate. this being my only second visit, we know the showrooms + what they offer. a new fun showroom is craftex, a custom cement artisan. candice olsen’s lecture is about to begin. we take seats. like most events you get asked to put our biz cards in the bowl. i have never won anything in my life + when candice calls shapirodesigns in front of her 100+ crowd I slowly stand up + wave for winning the grand prize from the shade store. during the talk candice describes her upholstery collaboration with kravet in detail down to the name. sensual boucle in dove is my favorite. super luxurious + ultra soft! post my win at the sdc event we casually shove cupcakes + cookies into our hungry faces each labeled by flavor: true sdc style. i get the chance to pitch my artwork to candice + give her my card. wow what a day! even when you might not feel too social + stuck it really does help to get out of your comfort zone: it truly is refreshing.
stumbling upon an ad in a local magazine*, i reach out to an interior designer, sara of tailored home, who was from boston as well and relocated to the pnw. she was happy to join me in one of my first creative ventures in the pnw, + we quickly scheduled a road trip to the seattle design center.
An industrial area not too different from the Boston Design Center minus the bustling waterfront, the Seattle Design Center was a bit smaller than expected albeit just as filled with enticing showrooms. The inviting lobby is adorned with a large Hunt Slonum from his Blue Diamond Rhapsody, 2021 series.
The symmetry of the space + showrooms makes it easy to walk through. Well-known showroom Baker hones a grey glass modern pedestal that I covet. We spend much time in Resource Furniture, an innovative way to customize any space with a futuristic appeal.
After a satisfying lunch in their open + quiet courtyard, I contemplate how I see my work in this area. We discuss design and how my modern work remains ahead of its time + unique. It’s just the beginning of my life as an artist here in the PNW. So much to see so little time…
painting in a new place, studio, and lighting is always a challenge but a challenge is also a good problem. my new mentor at Impact, whose sole purpose is to assist women in all stages of their business, suggested I read The Mountain is You. available in audio, it was filled with constructive advice on how to get over your own personal mountain. anyways, I am all for supporting women in business + was thrilled to hear from suzi h. at alchemy station art, where deep knowledge + creativity intersect.
so, back to painting. In this new sun-drenched studio space, I start my playlist + go through my checklist. although this list starts way before any tangible products are strategically placed, my mental list forms all the details. communication is key, down to the amount of texture + placement of color. I really do like it when they know exactly where the client wants what as much as I enjoy total creative freedom. freedom is what I am struggling with now. a new fresh idea, it’s all in the details. and I am getting close. You have just to jump in + try even if it might be an utter failure. that’s just it. that’s art: being okay to fail, to learn + then grow.
