I’ve noticed gorgeous flowering lilac trees around town and on my friend’s instagram feeds. Here are a couple that caught my eye and my own bunch from my son and husband. Oh gosh do they smell heavenly. Here’s a list I found of flowers that bloom in May.
A Parisian apartment left untouched for over 70 years was discovered in Paris a few years ago. The owner of this apartment, Mrs. De Florian (who died recently at 91) left Paris just before World War II. She closed up the apartment shutters and left for the South of France, never to return.
In the apartment a beautiful painting was discovered. One of the inventory team members suspected its importance. Love letters tied with colored ribbon from Giovanni Boldini, one of Paris’ most important painters of the Belle Époque revealed the truth about who painted the stunning portrait featuring Mrs. de Florian’s grand-mother, Marthe de Florian, an alluring French actress/socialite of the Belle Époque and Boldini’s muse and lover. The painting was later sold for $3 million at auction.
What an incredible story. Can you imagine walking into an apartment that’s been untouched for decades? Can you fathom stepping out of your place and someone opening the doors 70 years later? I have so many questions like, what did the neighbors think? How could nobody have noticed that the apartment was locked up for so long? I’m not sure this could ever have happened in New York. Though, I suppose there’s an apartment somewhere nearby that could hold a treasure, work of art or some key to unlock history. I wonder.
Via The Telegraph
Images via Messy Nessy Chic
I was honored when Epoca, a cool Tokyo based shop (they have 54 stores throughout in Japan) asked to collaborate with me on a limited edition collection of textile designs for sweaters, bags, dresses and t-shirts. Their theme is Paradox Feminine, meaning feminine but a bit edgy. It’s so fun seeing my work on surfaces aside from paper! They’re also having a small exhibition of my work and have featured life-size cardboard figures in their window display. I had a lot of fun working with them and it’s amazing to see it all come to fruition. Please let me know if you are going to be in Tokyo and can stop by the shop. I’m experiencing it all through my agency’s photos, above.
Umm…no biggie or anything but my work is on Jenna Lyons’s desk/wall in a Fast Company article. Ok BIGGIE! I’m a big fan of Jenna’s work. I guess we all have heros. For some people it’s a star athlete or a rock star, for me and my creative friends, it’s Jenna Lyons, the creative director and president of J.Crew. She took the brand from your average closet staples to some sort of incredible mix of tom-boy-cum-it girl-cum-effortlessly chic girl on the street that makes you rubber neck. Since she took the helm I’ve noticed incredible colors and beautiful textures and I simply admire the cohesiveness of the brand as a whole. There’s always a Jenna touch. So when my friend/collaborator Rubi Jones emailed to let me know she saw my work in Jenna’s office I was pretty…for lack of a better word, stoked.
After fall fashion week 2012 illustrating for New York Magazine/The Cut, Jenna’s assistant reached out to me asking if Jenna could buy a print of the J.Crew illustration. I was pretty floored, thinking wow, I’m on Jenna’s radar. Of course, I didn’t make her buy the print, instead I made a few prints from that series and threw in a couple of abstract watercolor originals into an envelope and a little “I’m flattered” note. It’s pretty rad to see the work actually around her in her amazing office/studio. I’m truly honored.
I had a great time illustrating Our Epic Guide To Fab Skin At Every Age for Refinery 29. I got to depict every decade of life/beauty from 20’s-70’s. There are some really great tips in the article and while I always wear SPF in the summer I’m mostly lax about it in the spring. Actually I ordered this cute hat after reading all of this because nothing can protect like completely shading right? Check out the article and my illos. Don’t you just love Refinery 29?
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