JARDIN MAJORELLE

Happy New Year!

Morocco had been on my list of places to visit for a long time, and I finally had the chance to make the trip over the holiday.  It. Was. Everything.

The colors, smells, shouts of people in the street coupled with quiet courtyard oases in Marrakech; 

The fresh, serene, contemplative feeling of the Atlas Mountains;

The golden ripples of the sand dunes in the Sahara Desert;

The medieval intrigue of Fes,

and the salty air of Casablanca all contributed to one of the most amazing trips of my lifetime.

These photos are from French painter Jacques Majorelle's garden in Marrakech, formerly owned by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge.  Though Majorelle (1886-1962) was a painter, his most well-known work of art is his garden, which he created during a time of convalescence in Marrakech. 

One of my most anticipated aspects of visiting Marrakech, Majorelle's Garden did not rival the sensory overload of the Djemaa El-Fna souks or the winding streets of the medina.  Still, the relatively quiet oasis, beautiful colors, and thousands of exotic plants made the garden a welcome retreat along the journey.

The exact shade of blue used in the garden is named after Majorelle, but is a common hue found in Berber accessories and tiles.  Luckily, I was able to bring home a can of official Majorelle Blue paint, so I can recreate a bit of Marrakech in Brooklyn.

Jacques Majorelle

Similar Dress

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

Photos by William Sealy; Majorelle painting: dnliving.com

OFF THE CHARTRES

One of my mother's chosen artistic mediums was stained glass.  She learned the art from my grandmother, whose intricate Tiffany-inspired lampshades brought color to every room in the house.  I remember them staying up late, cutting, grinding, soldering, making beautiful beveled-glass windows, pyramids, and even a rendition of Monet's Waterlilies in glass.

One Christmas, I decided to make a stained glass ornament for my Dad.  I chose a sailboat design, toiled over choosing the glass, cutting and grinding it, wrapping the edges with foil, and soldering the pieces together.  It was a far more labor-intensive process than I'd anticipated and the finished product was far from window-worthy!

However, watching my mother and grandmother create masterpieces, and then attempting one of my own, gave me a deep appreciation for the art of glass.  Traditionally, stained glass in churches was meant to give the worshipper a feeling of being closer to God.  Not only does the beauty of stained glass in a place of worship provide an elevated sense of holiness and acknowledgement of beauty, it also gives me a renewed appreciation of the extraordinary craftsmanship of a work of art, such as the Rose Window at Chartres Cathedral, outside of Paris.

An early example of French Gothic architecture, Chartres Cathedral is extremely well preserved.  One of the most interesting things about the design is that the architectural style was actually adapted in order to allow more space for stained glass!  Instead of a mixture of different types of glass in the windows, which was the standard in a church during that time period, the windows of Chartres were all full color.

I would have liked to visit Chartres with my grandmother and mother because I know how much it would have meant to them to see and experience such a masterpiece.  Truly, though, I was able to build a deep appreciation of the artistry and beauty of stained glass right at home, surrounded by their very own versions of church windows.  And I continue to experience it every day, when I turn on my bedside lamp.  And I continue to experience it every day, when I turn on my bedside lamp.

Dress: Clover Canyon

Boots: Balenciaga

Photos by Kathy Paciello.

COCO CHANEL + JOAN MIRO

You may wonder what these two individuals have in common; one a legendary fashion designer and icon, and the other a Surrealist artist.  Apart from their fame, both worked directly with Russian ballet impresario Sergei Diaghilev.  Founder of the Ballets Russes, Diaghilev recruited artists to work with him on all aspects of his ballets, from the set design to the choreography, to the costumes. In addition to Miró and Chanel, Diaghilev also worked with Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, and Jean Cocteau; this group reads like a list of who's who in the culture of late 19th and early 20th century France.  Click here to read more info about Diaghilev's artist collaborations.

The vintage skirt I'm wearing in this post features a Miró print which corresponds directly to some of his Surrealist paintings of the time period.  The Chanel shoes are a new addition to my collection and help to round out the subtle nod to Diaghilev's genius through a modern outfit that stands for more than the sum of its parts.

Skirt: Vintage, Uncommon Objects in Austin, Texas

Crop Top: Vintage, Beacon's Closet in Brooklyn, New York

Leather Block-Heel Shoes: Chanel

Clutch: Felix Rey

Bangles: Roberta Roller Rabbit

Photos by Kathy Paciello; Miró images from wikiart.org and pavlinachakarova.com.

WATER LILIES

Claude Monet, Water Lilies (French, Paris 1840 - 1926 Giverny)

There are few more delightful ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than wandering through the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  On this particular Sunday, Monet's Water Lilies were especially beautiful as a contrast to the grey slush outside on Fifth Avenue.  According to Urban Dictionary, "Monet" can be used to describe someone who "looks good from afar, but far from good close up."  That is usually the case with my Sunday afternoon ensembles!

Coat: Free People

Sequin skirt: French Connection (thrifted)

Tights: Falke

Boots: DKNY

Sweatshirt: J. Crew

Snakeskin purse: Vintage (thrifted)

Necklace: H&M

Photo by Meri Feir.

ART TO WEAR: Filigree

Jewelry, especially from ancient times, is just as much artwork as artifact, especially when you consider the craftsmanship behind each piece.  Filigree is a type of metalwork used for jewelry since the 6th century B.C., and is represented in many ancient cultures, including Italian, French, Greek, and Etruscan, and is still popularly used today. Filigree is accomplished by soldering together many tiny filaments to form a piece of metal that resembles lace.

I'm wearing the Filigree Statement Necklace, courtesy of Lydell NYC.

PORTRAIT OF IRENE

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Portrait of Irene, 1880

I'm sending thoughts and prayers along the East Coast and beyond, in hopes that all will fare well in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

"An artist...must have confidence in himself, and listen only to his real master: Nature." --Pierre-Auguste Renoir

[image: picasaweb.google.com]

BERTHE MORISOT

I took these photos of my little cousin and myself earlier in the summer, and I must say it was quite the challenge. From dressing Adelaide, trying to get her to sit still (hence the coconut marshmallow in her hand), and ultimately enlisting other family members as assistants, it reminded me of just how much work little children can be! The whole affair lasted 20 minutes, and that was about 18 minutes longer than she would have liked. All told, Adelaide was a good sport, and I'm happy to have a little girl to dress up.

These photos were inspired by the work of Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), a French Impressionist painter.

Morisot was considered one of les trois grande dames of Impressionism, along with Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt.

As a descendant of the Rococo master Jean-Honoré Fragonard, and eventually the wife of Édouard Manet's brother, Eugène, Morisot was provisioned with an understanding and capability in art that was rare for a woman of her time.

Morisot's work was intended as a response to her haute bourgeoisie upbringing, and addressed the cultural restrictions of her gender and social class.

Morisot and Eugène Manet had a daughter, Julie, in 1848, who became the subject of the greater portion of Morisot's paintings thereafter.

Julie's memoir, Growing Up with the Impressionists: The Diary of Julie Manet, was published in 1988.

I am drawn to these works for their subtlety--the beautiful brushstrokes belying a bevy of saturated hues, and the sweet subjects of mother or nurse and child.

I'm wearing a Plenty dress and Cynthia Rowley x Roxy sandals. Adelaide is wearing a cotton sundress I bought at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet in Hawaii.

[Morisot images from shafe.co.uk, abcgallery.com, and artchive.com, respectively.]