ONE PIECE: Interviewing creatives about their favorite art, clothing, decor, and reads
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Merci, thank you tons and tons for reading!
An odd and specific realization circles in and out of my thoughts from time to time: I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about dead people. It’s the strangest part of being a historian and archivist! It’s really important to me that I start including today’s discourse in my writing too, which has inspired me to create this new series, ONE PIECE. Let’s discover the one piece of literature, art, clothing, and advice that (very alive!) creative people are either 1) surrounding themselves with or 2) daydreaming about.
It’s already been so fun to see the answers of some people in my art history and design circles! I can’t wait to keep expanding the conversation to include more creative people and their pieces of x-y-z that pull at their heartstrings the most.
Bridget Bartal: Curatorial Fellow and Design Historian
Bridget and I work for very adjacent organizations, both of which have an immense role in foraging the beginnings of Modernism in America. Sometimes we work together via email, but mostly, our mingling happens on Instagram. She seems to have an innate sense of curiosity like I do, and she’s always deep in some kind of fascinating research, all based on her love for history. I like that we both have not-secret crushes on George Nelson and Minoru Yamasaki. I had a feeling she’d be up to this One Piece exercise, and I’m really thankful that she agreed to share so many nice bits of design here!
Hi, my name is Bridget Bartal! I’m currently living and working in metro-Detroit as the MillerKnoll Curatorial Fellow at Cranbrook Art Museum. I’m a (budding) design historian who primarily specializes in 20th-century American design. In my free time, I love to play and write music.
ONE PIECE of artwork that you wouldn’t mind living alongside:
Pedro E. Guerrero was a masterful architectural photographer who got totally overshadowed by mid-century photography giants such as Balthazar Korab, Ezra Stoller, and Julius Shulman. I’m endlessly singing Guerrero’s praises!
Editor’s note: I was born and raised in Phoenix (and usually not proud of this), so seeing Bridget’s answer about the David Wright House made me actually SQUIRM with happiness. If there’s one thing Phoenix can make me proud of, it’s the city’s surprising array of modern architecture.
ONE PIECE of clothing or accessory that you want to wear until it’s tattered:
My JRAT Handmade Zero Waste Purse was an impromptu purchase from a pop-up shop in Manhattan. It’s a whimsical ornament to (almost) any outfit.
ONE PIECE of literature that fills your mind/spirit:
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
For me, no author captures the idiosyncrasies of a character like Dostoevsky does. He so cleverly articulates subtle, nuanced mannerisms that illustrate so much about human behavior.
ONE PIECE of advice for yourself or others:
Life can lead us in unexpected directions. Don’t be afraid to pivot!
ONE PIECE of decor that would provide a mood boost to your home:
All of George Nelson’s clocks for Howard Miller are so wonderful, but I’m currently loving this very odd and very postmodern 1980s clock by Nelson Office.
Here’s a collection of four that sold at Wright.
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Sarah Reeder: Art appraiser and beam of sunshine
I met sweet Sarah Reeder through our mutual friends, Alex and Vanessa, who are also in the realm of modern furniture and design collecting and scholarship. Sarah is the CEO of Artifactual History, editor of Worthwhile Magazine, co-host of The Art Elevator podcast (alongside creator Larissa Wild), and author of the very special title Ray Eames in 1930s New York. Our interests overlap completely, and each time we have the chance to talk, we spend literally hours waving our hands about in the air, laughing, and getting to the bottom of things. I love how abundantly positive her spirit is. She wants to do good for the world, and she mixes this attitude perfectly with her knowledge of art and design.
ONE PIECE of artwork that you wouldn’t mind living alongside:
I could very happily live with a giant Helen Frankenthaler painting, despite having no wall space! Together with a giant Alexander Calder mobile!
ONE PIECE of clothing or accessory that you want to wear until it’s tattered:
I love fashion, but my first answer is actually about my dog. Anyone who has ever seen me carry my rescue Chihuahua on a walk (she walks too, but I walk many miles more than she can each day so she gets airlifted by me for the rest of it) will understand why she is the “accessory” most precious to me, and I’d love to be able to keep her with me forever. We’ve had 10 beautiful years together, and I don’t know how old she was when the rescue group saved her from death in an overcrowded rural shelter, so I cherish every single walk we get to share together.
Editor’s note: Sarah’s dog is adorable.
To answer your question literally, I pretty much live in Christy Dawn dresses and they feel so natural for my “feminine California artist” fashion identity.
ONE PIECE of literature that fills your mind/spirit:
It’s going to be Jane Eyre forever for me.
I’m fully aware now as an adult of the problematic elements in it, but that book was transformative for me growing up and I still retain so much resonance and appreciation for all the ways Jane’s unique vision wasn’t recognized by most of her world. Despite the parts that haven’t aged well, I still adore how Charlotte Brontë captured the sensation of finally being seen and appreciated as your true self by another human. I think that’s what many of us hope for.
ONE PIECE of advice for yourself or others:
Done is better than perfect. This is the advice I keep having to tell myself when I get stuck in a perfectionist spiral.
ONE PIECE of decor that would provide a mood boost to your home:
When I finally got an Eames House Bird for myself, I intentionally styled it on the bookshelves behind my desk so I can enjoy looking at it in my Zoom meetings!
Josef Frank throw pillows are another instant mood boost to a room. I’m also a huge fan of making sure all my functional objects (like dishes and cooking tools) are beautiful so I get to enjoy gorgeous designs even when I’m doing chores!
Related Notes:
Sarah recently interviewed me on the The Art Elevator podcast that she co-hosts with its creator, Larissa Wild. I loved talking with them about design, Substack writing, and travel. Things even got a little emotional as we discussed my Venice writings about my late, adored grandfather. Thank you again, Sarah and Larissa!!!
If I answered these One Piece questions myself, my favorite book would be Mary Gabriel’s Ninth Street Women. It features Helen Frankenthaler, who Sarah mentioned above. Here’s a New York Times book review if you don’t have time to read the book’s 900+ pages!
There’s an entrancing sculpture by Calder called Féminité that I want to make note of. He made it in 1930 with “wire, wood, tin, doorknobs, and paint.” What do I gleam from it? Femininity = pizzazz!
What is your ONE PIECE of fashion, art, design, and writing? It’s thrilling to brainstorm! Although it also feels impossible for me to settle on one thing for each category. There’s too much goodness out there.
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Leaving you with a reminder from Bridget: don’t be afraid to pivot!
Kelsey Rose
So excited about this series!
The pivot is everything! Also, "done is better than perfect" is my motto too. Love this series and your perspective. Very inspirational!