15,984 days in the profession and still counting . . .
425 projects completed
786 clients
I have projects under construction and several just completed. Most of my projects now are for repeat clients who know me and what I bring to the table in terms of design and delivery. But I also have new clients who want more from their Architect and understand the demands that good design takes in all of its forms . . . commitment, cost, caring, patience, teamwork.
I AM AN ARCHITECT
How does one account for 45 years of a life spent in the pursuit of design? First as a student of architecture with the many goals and aspirations to become an "Architect." Then as a young professional with energy and ambition but not much else. With experience came opportunity and my own firm. It was a commitment, keeping all those people in meaningful work and making a living all the while striving for all that drove me to pursue design . . .
Drawing, sketching, model building, media exploration, photography, graphics, accessories, artisan clothing, travel . . .
Now I am looking back and realizing many of the explorations from my student days.
Reimagine, repurpose, revisit, reset . . .
The best clients I have are those who understand the importance of planning in all of its various forms. This is the beginning part where everything is possible. We can evaluate an idea, then another. It is not a single right answer but a process towards the best answer. We can investigate within the limits of what a site allows. We can look at cost. We can evaluate and understand regulations. We can make a great project based on needs, program, site, budget.
I AM A PLANNER
My architecture, my planning, my design sensibilities all flow from a keen interest in looking hard at the world around me. Drawing is the language an Architect speaks. Drawing in its most meaningful way involves engaging all of your senses as you look hard at what you are interested in and take in all that is around you . . . that might just be the smell of coffee or baking bread.
I AM AN OBSERVER
I sketch at my desk, I draw on my travels, and I experiment with media wherever I am. My favorite "capture the moment" media is watercolor. I lay down the lines with my fountain pen, then I take in the scene in all of its glorious color and put it on paper. The sun and the light make this possible.
355 watercolors
3 books
8 commissioned watercolors
1 Windsor Newton watercolor set
10 fountain pens
37 sketch books
I've lost count of the sketches
I AM A CREATIVE
How I dress, what I carry all define who I am. You cannot be thoughtful in design without being thoughtful in your own look. But I don't typically dress like an "Architect," all in black.
I have time now to think about and design clothing. My creations are for me, or my friends, or my grandchildren. Fabric, texture, details, color, graphics, style . . . they all come together in each piece I make and flow from an attitude about design that has matured with me over time.
And then, there is the fun of shopping for fabric and buttons in the most far-away places.
I AM A TRAVELER
Speaking of far-away places. I am a French and an American citizen. I grew up in a French speaking household with family in Europe. I visited often as a child and teenager. Later I took up an interest in all things Italian and have studied the language for the past 12 years, gaining conversational fluency so that I can immerse myself in the culture when I travel there.
Travel for me is how I recharge, renew, and find new ideas about life . . . and design.
Let's collaborate
How about we pick a fun piece of fabric and sew something for a special child in your life, or . . .
Make a custom watercolor for a special someone in your life, or . . .
noodle over a house that you might be interested in adding onto, or . . .
Bounce ideas around about a travel plan and what to do that will make it special, or . . .
Let's connect and see what happens.
