33 articles

The secret life of a whisperer

Judith Puckett-Rinella on the phone in her Long Island City studio.

Judith Puckett-Rinella on the phone in her Long Island City studio.

Ok so this is not really about the secret life of anybody, but I liked the sound of that phrase for the title. I also think it goes really well with the photo, which is one of my favorites from a recent shoot I did with the inimitable Judith Puckett-Rinella for the People section of Jill Platner’s website.

This is one of my favorite photo gigs, because I always get to hang out with singular and inspirational people, ask them lots of questions and snoop around their spaces a bit. What’s not to love about that?

In this case, I had the privilege of photographing Judith Puckett-Rinella (a former photo editor at Vanity Fair and T magazines) at the HQ of her new venture, Whisper Editions, a collection of limited edition original works resulting from collaboration with an exclusive group of artists and designers. It was part office, part photo studio, part design workshop, with huge windows covering an entire wall. An ideal space to create. I totally wanted to move in.

Each week, a new edition is released into the world. The current offering, just out today, is a decoupaged mirror by Joseph Heidecker. It’s released in an edition of one as part of their new Original Fridays series, so run don’t walk as I’m sure it’ll go fast! If the edition doesn’t sell out during the first week, the remainder of the work moves into the “vault” where we mortals who might not be quite so quick on the draw can check it out and make our purchases in a more leisurely fashion.

The work is always incredible, ranges from fine art photography, to jewelry, to tinctures and tea and ranges in price from the ‘whoa-ok-that’s-beautiful-maybe-in-a-future-life’ to the ‘wait-I-can’t-believe-that’s-all-it-costs’. There’s something for everyone.

So go check it out. And maybe get something for that special valentine you’ve been wanting to pamper. (yep, it’s that time already…) Or for yourself, for that matter. And then, if you’re in NY, go outside and enjoy the balmy 30 degree day we’ve been blessed with after such an insanely long deep freeze. It almost feels like springtime out there.

Judith Puckett-Rinella

Judith Puckett-RInella, hair tied back, ready to go to work in her studio. Smiling because she’s doing exactly what she wants to be doing. May she be an example to us all.

The King

Michael (later Martin) Luther King, Jr as a young boy in Atlanta, GA

Martin Luther King, Jr as a young boy in Atlanta, GA

Everybody has to start out someplace.

Here’s to all the hot meals, the bedtime stories, the songs and the love that went into helping this little boy become one of our country’s greatest leaders.

May our kids continue to advance the dream.

Free at last, free at last…

Nelson Mandela, 1951. API/Gamma via Getty Images.

Nelson Mandela, 1951. API/Gamma via Getty Images.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Nelson Mandela. 1918 – December 5th, 2013

Just stop for a second…

and watch this really short video about Hilary Lister, an incredibly inspirational woman creating a truly beautiful and triumphant moment for herself out of a situation that would have completely flattened most of us.

And give thanks that we are part of a race of beings who can make such miracles happen.

Tis the season, after all.

Rebecca Naomi Jones sings murder ballads for fun

Rebecca Naomi Jones on the set of Murder Ballad.

Rebecca Naomi Jones on the set of Murder Ballad.

Rebecca Naomi Jones is a badass, and I was lucky enough to cross paths with her when I shot her for The Aesthete recently. She plays the narrator in Murder Ballad, the rock and roll musical now playing a limited run in Union Square (it closes July 21, so hurry and get your tickets now.) Later this month, she’ll be heading uptown to Central Park to play Jaquenetta in Love’s Labour’s Lost– part of the Public Theater’s beloved Shakespeare in the Park series.

Check out our story in The Aesthete so you can say you knew all about her before she becomes a household name. You can thank me later.

Joe Bradley rocks

Joe Bradley drawings at Gavin Brown

This is my favorite wall of Joe Bradley’s show at Gavin Brown Enterprises in NYC.

Joe Bradley’s recent NYC show at Gavin Brown was profound, funny, simple, huge, graphic, tactile, primitive and subtle all at the same time. Pay attention to this artist, who is quickly moving into the art-star category. I love his work.

Click below to see more from this show… — Read more

Adeline Michèle is the new high priestess of disco

Adeline Michele

Here’s Adeline, casually hanging out in the window of her (brilliant) stylist Irini Arakas’ midtown studio.

And I got to shoot her, the day before yesterday, for the online celebration of NY culture/magazine: The Aesthete.

Born in France but now living in Brooklyn, Adeline fronts a 17 piece band called Escort and they will be taking over the stage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday night.

It is a show that should not be missed.

But if you have other plans, just go buy the record (one of Rolling Stone’s 50 top records this year) put it on, wrap yourself in sequins and dance till the sun comes up.

Cause that’s what I’m going to be doing.

The great communicator

American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 - 1968)

Remember when phones all had cords?

Imagine what this man got done, without the aid of the internet, or twitter, or even answering machines, for that matter. Kind of humbles you.

In honor of the great Dr Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday lets remember what a truly inspired movement can do, how love and tolerance really can triumph over hatred and bullying, that the work of forming “a more perfect union” is never done, and that Cinderella isn’t the only person who gets to have her dreams come true.

When I look at my daughter’s classroom full of mixed race kids, I know we have come a long way. But when my dad hears a pharmacist in the supposedly enlightened Hamptons refer to Michelle Obama in derogatory terms I am reminded of how far we still have to go.

While jailed in Birmingham, AL, Dr King wrote an open letter to a group of white clergymen who had expressed disapproval of the non-violent actions he spearheaded. This letter remains one of the most important documents of the civil rights movement. If you’ve got a few minutes, I’ve included the entire text below. It is one of the most direct and beautifully argued letters ever written.

Here is the full text of the letter:

— Read more