I write therefore I am.
I grew up in an isolated corner of nowhere, a place with no artists to speak of and where the only art was the wooded landscape that surrounded me. Because I was drawn to what I saw, but could not draw well, I relied on my affinity for language as my way in. First I studied literature and art history, then photography. Once I started taking pictures, I couldn’t stop. My camera became as essential as my Moleskine. After a spell in publishing, I turned to writing, earning an MFA in nonfiction writing and later an MA in decorative arts and design history. Along the way, I taught. A research fellowship from the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library helped me complete my MA thesis. During summer breaks, I attended both the London and Newport Summer Schools of the Victorian Society in America, and later its alumni study tour of Vienna and its Chicago Summer School. Although by now I’ve lived in New York City longer than anywhere else, I’m never more at ease than when I’m wandering a forest—the more enigmatic and haunting, the better.
For two years while the world was on pause, I eagerly awaited attending the Attingham Summer School. A kind of Grand Tour of England to study its historic houses and their collections, the Summer School finally unfolded in 2022 at its customary breakneck speed: 32 sites over 19 days. As intellectually invigorating as it was physically demanding, the experience allowed me to investigate the relationships between patron and artist that are manifest in the architecture, interiors, fine and decorative arts, and landscapes of English country estates. It was a life-changing experience and I consider my Summer School colleagues to be friends for life. You can see highlights of the journey on my Instagram feed.
