,It is a joy to share with you my creative vision, honed through my life as a dancer and choreographer – an art dealer with a passion for 18th- and 19th-century French academic art – and an all-encompassing love of beauty. First, a little about myself. 

In the art world, I had the pleasure of auctioning French period art and antiques at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, lecturing on 18th- and 19th-century academic art and interiors, as well as selling art to collectors worldwide. Living with and researching these exquisite art pieces, until they found a home, was one of my greatest pleasures. Haunted by their beauty, my passions merged – from dance to French Period art to design – and, to my delight, took shape in the form of a forthcoming book, Inspired by Beauty: A Journey Through Time.

Inspired by Beauty is an enchanting romp through art and style from 18th-century France to the contemporary era. Its pages envelop the reader in tastes, scents, and stunning images staged as living theatre, while the text speaks in the language of anecdotes, sense impressions, and observations on the artists and their culture.

AS A DESIGNER:
I have created English inspired gardens, where color, texture, and scent play seductive roles. I was delighted to hold the title of Official Garden Designer of the Mission of Argentina to the United Nations and create secret gardens tucked away behind historic landmark buildings. In the world of interiors, my inspiration comes from the elegant style Louis Seize, where classical ideals of balance, harmony, and beauty are guiding lights. However, because I am happiest in nature, the gardens have always taken precedence. 

AS A DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER:
Assuredly, my life as a dancer and choreographer has shaped me into the artist that I am today. It is the lens through which I experience the world; and, it is a rich and rewarding perspective. Recently, I was thrilled to learn that photographs of my choreography are part of the permanent collections of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Those can also be viewed on the Gardens and Dance Page of this site.

AS A WRITER:
Writing on art and inspiration has opened an unexpected window to storytelling, with my words now taking shape as poetry, prose, and creative nonfiction. In 2023, I  received an Honorable Mention in the Memoirs/Personal Essay category of the 92nd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition, and in 2024, I was a finalist in a national Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest, sponsored by Women on Writing, My stories have been published in literary journals in the United States and England, a national newspaper, and an anthology. These are listed with corresponding links on this website’s page titled A Writer.

Whether academic or artistic, my muse continues to be beauty – while my hope is that all that inspires me transcends into something luminous and alive. Something that might touch another.

This gorgeous, bursting with life, oil on canvas painting by Albert de Belleroche – friend and colleague of John Singer Sargent – is available to purchase through our online gallery. It is part of our small, yet fine collection of 18th- and 19th-century French academic paintings, drawings, and prints from artists who exhibited at the Paris Salon and are represented in fine art museums throughout the world.

A FORTHCOMING BOOK:
A new direction in my work began with my lecture-presentation, Exquisite French Period Art and Interiors- A Journey Through Time. First presented in 2010, the lecture explored the art of the 18th-century French Rococo period through 19th-century French academic movements and its influence on culture. One of the many subjects I explored was Enlightenment thinking, as the force that set these movements into motion. I also included marvelous stories surrounding the artists’ lives and work, which magically brought the colors, tones, and textures of this wondrous past to life.

My enthusiasm for these subjects inspired me to continue exploring and sharing fascinating details about this era, without knowing where this would lead. And now, here we are, continuing this journey together in a forthcoming book, where we will travel from Enlightenment to Romanticism and onward to modern times. And adding to the pleasure of exploring the principle of beauty, and aesthetics, we will be joined by 18th- and 19th-century philosophers and poets; as they are the guardians of beauty and truth.

Above, is a riveting fine art photographic image created by Brooklyn-based artists Scott Irvine and Kim Meinelt. It is one of a number of their works that will be featured in the book, alongside of 18th-19th-century French academic art. 

(To learn more, click on the Book tab at the top of this page)

As a choreographer, I began the creation of each dance from a single idea. With an open heart and an open mind, I allowed the creative process to lead me in new directions. The result was a synthesis of all the elements which led to a finished work of art. I was moved again and again when I noticed members in my audience shedding tears from the experience. The transformative nature of art and beauty runs deep. I find the creative process of design to be similar to dance. It begins with a kernel of an idea; it could be tone, color, style, rhythm, or concept. When writing stories – dreams, ideas, memories, and longings merge in a magical way, with the process unfolding in a like manner. I allow this initial idea to lead me through magnificent doors which I had not known were before me. The openness of this creative process* is what I love most about art, beauty, and life itself. To move gracefully into a world of unknowns, is to live in the richness of wonder.

When I create, my desire is always to ignite and inspire that place in our souls where we experience beauty. And to bring beauty to others, brings me more gifts than I could ever have imagined.