New Portraits!

The amazingly talented designer Jordana Silver asked me to take her portrait when I was recently in NYC.  Because I needed to pop up a studio on the fly, my dear artist friend Sasha Kinens offered her studio as a space for us to shoot.  Jordana looked gorgeous as always and after we finished the photo shoot we spent the afternoon eating prosciutto, drinking wine and looking over her images.  Like always, the shoot was so fun, but the civilized charcuterie plate and yummy moscato took the afternoon to a new level…I'm thinking it's the way I should wrap every shoot from now on…

I loved the moodiness in the shot above.  I turned off the strobe and just let the light happen in this one….I like the juxtaposition between this dark outfit and moody light and the images below which are really bright and happy.  It's nice to see both sides of someone...

Check out Jordana's newest collection of shoes and interchangeable shoe clips! www.jordanasilver.com

Architecture: Bones of Beauty

I love love love the Getty Villa in Malibu.  If not for a specific exhibit, I adore spending a sunny Saturday afternoon wandering through the grounds and gardens of this beautiful Southern California landmark.  The Villa is modeled after a first century Roman country estate, the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.  The building was constructed in the 1970s by architectural firm, Langdon and Wilson, who's work is still seen and built all over the world.
I was just up there and took some fun shots that I hope will inspire others to hop over for the afternoon and explore for yourself.  It takes a little pre-planning as you have to request free tickets ahead of time.  Best summer day?  Getty villa for art consumption, lazy lunch at the dive-y Reel Inn in Malibu, and a mellow afternoon at any Malibu beachfront sand spot you can find parking for…

look up…it's worth it

 the attention to detail is spectacular…

meander through the courtyards; the gardens are worth a leisurely stroll..

 in and out…a modern entrance to a beautiful structure referencing history and romance...

Book your visit here…

Inspiration: We are all Savages

New York City: Last Day, Best Day...

the frenzied entrance to Savage Beauty:

the always inspiring Metropolitan Museum of Art:

On my final day in NYC last week, I rushed between meetings to view the Alexander McQueen exhibit on display at the Met before missing my only chance.  And I did it like I do a lot of things - in perfect timing, but a little bit delayed.  I was supposed to meet a friend that morning, but she had an emergency and cancelled, so I viewed the show solo.  I arrived 5 minutes before the line closed and instead of waiting for hours, it only took 15 minutes to enter the exhibit.  While it was pure luck and good timing, it was also disappointing to have to view the entire exhibit with packed rooms in a single hour.  Great planning, no, but perfect timing, yes. The video below is a wonderful narrated tour through the exhibit by the curator, Andrew Bolton.

Now, anyone that has been to the Sistine Chapel in Rome will understand the cluster chaos that you will encounter seeing this exhibit after it's received so much press.  The rooms were being wrangled by low paid guards with little reverence to the obvious genius they were protecting.  However, I realized quickly that since there were only two more groups being let into the rooms, if I waited a bit and slinked back, I could view the spaces in perfect silence.  While I am in no way a fashionista or designer factoid, I was in complete awe of the exhibit space, McQueen's pained, yet beautifully inspired collection, the unbelievable details that were included, the head pieces designed by Guido, and I left with a sense of feeling connected to runway fashion in a way I hadn't previously experienced.  In the past runway has always seemed like a show to me, not always directly inspiring me, although I always appreciate the artistry of the exhibiting designer.  With this exhibit, the clothing seemed to transcend fashion and create statement and purpose, as well as deep political statements, while remaining captivatingly beautiful.  The exhibit, the collection, and the memory of McQueen all seemed in perfect harmony.


So, my point?  Get your butt to NY before August 7th and see this exhibit!  Here are links to all the info you would ever need: Metropolitan Museum, Savage Beauty Exhibit Info, and special Monday tickets for the Exhibit - completely worth the $50, I'm sure!  


On my way out of the exhibit, the last few of us lingerers were being corralled out by the guards, and as we entered a back hall, I saw this:

Obviously it had more to do with construction than anything else, but I felt the tiny hairs on the back of my neck pop up…I couldn't help but toy with the thought that it felt like an eerie message from beyond:)

Oh, it's been a while…let's start small

So, I've been a very bad blogger.  To my credit (sort of), I have been traveling an insane amount.  And while I have tons of new material to post, I wanted to start small, with some beautiful leaves that I photographed for a Chiropractic office waiting room in Chicago.  Yes, random, but oh so pretty.  There are tons of shots that will be decorating the halls of the office, but I chose 4 to post that I adore and that are simply leaves.  I love that the color green can not be defined as one shade.  Have you ever walked into the woods, a park, or a jungle and just been stunned by all the amazing shades of green?  I know that I have - and it's mind blowing.  Sometimes in the city we tune out nature, and I think it's nice to remember that nature is pretty unbelievable.

Curious about the office I photographed these for? Check them out:

http://www.wholehealthchicago.com/

They have the BEST health tips and hilarious newsletters, so definitely sign up for fun random health facts - they seriously make my week.  The last one was about the benefits of wine for sexual happiness…pretty fabulous!!  I'll make sure to do a post of the final waiting room look once the art is installed, so stay tuned…

Art I Love

My friends Sasha and Mason are definitely the artsiest married friends I have…Sasha is a fabulous painter and Mason is a sculptor and teacher at the Grand Central Academy of Art in New York.  Every time I'm in New York I make a trip out to their home in Jersey for a great dinner (they are insane cooks), wine, and to check out and be inspired by their latest works.  My last trip to NY left me with a full belly of Pho, a new favorite cabernet, and an incredible painting!  Check out some of Sasha and Mason's work below.  If you want to see more of their work, check out their websites:
Sasha's Site
Mason's School's Blog

Sasha's work often focuses on human form and emotion - it was so exciting to see some of her architectural work as well…although, I guess I'm partial to her painting of women, because….

this is my new painting!  I am beyond excited to hang it in my new apt...

 this piece is inspired by an amazing detail in Italy - I love the colors...

 form and function - Mason teaches ecorche at Grand Central Academy

I love this new piece Mason just finished…her face is so peaceful and graceful

Does their apartment seem familiar?  That's because I photographed it the last time I was in NY - check out their space here...

Hot Mama

I've been teaching my mom how to edit photos of her sculptures the last few days & it reminded me how much amazing work she has created in the last few years. She started working with clay after my sister and I were older and has gone on to do solo shows and international exhibitions. Her work focuses on the feminine and the importance of the goddess in past cultures.  I thought I would share some of her artistry that I've photographed this past year.  It's good to remember that it's never too late to find your passion…

Some of my favorites:

Want to see more of her work? www.mebstudio.com

An Artist's Space

My good friend Sasha and her husband, Mason, are amazing artists that live beautifully in so many ways. Beyond having exquisite art all over their home, they "style" their apartment with a natural grace that many professional stylists in my field spend hours trying to create. From Sasha's painting studio to the salt and pepper shakers on the table, I love the details in their home and taking snapshots of their artsy lives.

Here are some of my favorite shots from a recent visit to their house:

a painting is born

these cats definitely have the life

Even Sasha's shelves double as a still life worth capturing.

I love that one of the bedrooms looks into the studio through an old window!

Love her work? Check out Sasha's website: www.sashakinens.com