Le Bateau-Lavoir

"More than a place on a map, it was a place in time, home to a revolution. An old 19th century factory in an unfashionable area outside Paris, populated in the early 20th century by a wildly diverse collection of artists. As poet Max Jacob described it, le Bateau Lavoir was '...a shabby canvas for universal concentration and creativity.' It's one of my favorite descriptions. That shabby canvas inspired Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Kees von Dongen, Henri Matisse, Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob and many others. It inspires me still.

"Le Bateau Lavoir, which translates literally to "the washing boat," animated an entire generation of artists. It was a dusty laboratory for new and found art in all forms - painting, poetry, sculpture, literature - worked by a community of artists living and working in dank and dingy spaces. Chance-takers finding new chances. Sharing ideas. Breaking with the conventions of the times and experimenting. In the end, Bateau Lavoir represents a freedom in art - a freedom I take to every job I do.

"The Bateau Lavoir reminds me that knowing the rules is often just a beginning, the place where you stand before you jump, invent new rules, or ignore them altogether. For instance, in my house I have a library. It's painted black. The rules say no. I say why not? When I finished it, my small room felt intimate, yet open and inviting. Contrary to convention, yet perfect for the room, the house and my needs. That's how I work. I find what works, for the space and the people who inhabit it. With a freedom that allows me to really capture the desires of my clients."