An Abundant Life - The Art Of Collaboration

In early June of 2018, the beautiful Artist Alberte Bernier asked me if I would work with her on a book that she was planning to create about her art. She had designed a few books before, but the person she had worked with was no longer available. I had written about Alberte in my blog, and she and I had started to become friends, and because she liked the style of my writing and knew that I was a Curator and that I worked on collaborative projects with different types of artists, she asked me if I would consider working with her. I love Alberte's work and I love Alberte. She is a beautiful Artist and a beautiful soul, fun and intelligent and creative and kind, and her artistic aesthetic brings beauty wherever she goes. I love to work on collaborative projects and so of course I said yes, and we began on the journey that eventually became the book, Infinite Shapes Traveling Colors.

Over the time that we worked together, we got to know each other more. That's one of the things that I like about working on collaborative projects, because in the process it's possible to develop new layers of friendship. There is also the possibility that you can really start to understand and be inspired by the other person in a new way, and that's exactly what happened during this time.

We had our first official meeting about the project in Hoboken at Antique Bar & Bakery on July 4th, 2018. They were having a holiday lunch special and we sat together after our delicious meal and began to look over Alberte's notes on her computer. She had previously sent me a few things to start looking at, and she had asked if I could write an introduction to the book as well as help curate the photographs of her pieces and edit her own writing. I'm a big proponent of encouraging people to use their own voices whenever possible, and after reviewing Alberte's writing, I suggested that she could keep it as it was. I was happy to write an introduction from the perspective of an Art Writer and Curator, but her own descriptions and explanation of why she wanted to write the book seemed to me to be best coming directly from her own voice. Alberte also has a wonderful sensibility about art and design, and so even in the area of curating I really felt that she was able to make the appropriate decisions, and that the best way I could help was to be someone she could bounce ideas off of and brainstorm with.

When we began discussing the project, we had conversations about who to work with to physically create the book and how to go about the layout and design of the pages. A friend had given her some suggestions for online resources and I also had some ideas, but each one we researched either didn't seem to be a good fit or for some reason we weren't able to connect them to the project. And then one day last Winter Alberte asked me if I could help her with photographing and making a video of her studio space at ChaShaMa at the Brooklyn Army Terminal that she could post online and share with ChaShaMa, and I thought about someone who might be able to help her with that who was also someone I thought might be able to help with some technical ideas for her book or at least suggest a direction we could explore. I love taking photographs and videos, but when I thought about what might be the best way to go about it I thought of Eric Sanchez and his wife Dana Gambale. Eric is a wonderful Videographer and Photographer and his wife is a beautiful Artist who also has a wonderful eye behind a camera, and I thought that they might enjoy a day visiting Alberte's studio because she and the space are so creative and inspiring. We spent a wonderful afternoon together and began talking about the book also, and in addition to the beautiful photographs and video footage he and Dana took that day, Eric started to do research on how to put the book together.

Over the next few months we met several times and shared some very memorable meals made by Alberte and Dana who are excellent cooks, and had some very memorable conversations. As the book took shape we continued to meet to look at the layout and share ideas. On the night before my birthday, we planned to meet for a final look through before Eric submitted the book for its first Artist's proof of one printed copy before it was printed in multiples. After a delicious dinner that Dana made, Eric and Dana surprised me that night with a cake with candles, and Alberte brought a lovely collection of birthday gifts. No business meeting could have been more fun. In fact, during the course of this collaboration it's always been great fun, with good energy, creative joy and beautiful time shared together, and the product is the proof of that. When we met recently at Novado Gallery in Jersey City for the opening of a show where Dana is showing her work, Alberte brought the first copy that had been printed. It looked even more beautiful than it did on Eric's professional computer screen when we were discussing the layout and design questions, and it's the combination of all of our shared gifts that has given it such a high level of quality. This collaboration was a true success because of the effort and skill that went into it, and it has that extra something that makes it truly special because each one of us not only brought our best to it, but allowed the gifts and talents of the others to shine.

Infinite Shapes

Traveling Colors

And The Team That Put It Together

Alberte Bernier, Artist

Jannie Wolff, Editor

Eric Sanchez, Layout And Design

Dana Gambale, Artistic Consultant

A First View Of The First Printing
Following Three Photographs
Courtesy Of Dana Gambale and Eric Sanchez

A Glimpse Inside The Pages

The Dedication Page

The Foreword

In The Artist's Own Words

 Selected Pages With Art Work

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - The Essence Of Luxurious Love

I saw the film "Scent of a Woman" years ago, and because of the powerful performance by Al Pacino and the beautiful message of the film it has stayed with me forever. That is the way of true love, the deeper kind of love that moves beyond attraction or brief infatuation. When we truly love, the feelings that we have cannot ever be removed from our heart.

Just before Valentine's Day I attended an event at The Pierre in New York City for the perfume launch of Amorem Rose by Shalini Parfum. The event was lovely in a way that only The Pierre can be, classic and timeless while still rooting its luxuriousness in the beautiful present. The perfume is part of a collection that is a match for the classic and timeless updated luxury of The Pierre, and this particular fragrance has been named as the signature scent of the Hotel which is celebrating the memory of having the iconic tango scene from "Scent of a Woman" filmed there with a promotion that will last throughout the year. Each room booked through the Scent of a Woman package includes a keepsake bottle of Amorem Rose Parfum by Shalini, a fragrance that was inspired by and pays homage to the deepest love.

Shalini has her own history of luxury, and is from the world of Haute Couture with clients all over the world who collect her signature pieces. With Shalini Parfum, she is bringing the scents and senses together to combine a luxury lifestyle that celebrates love in its highest form. Haute Parfum. The collection is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Harrods Salon de Parfum, Al Hazm Qatar and Jovoy Paris. Amorem Rose is a Finalist for the Fragrance Foundation Awards 2019.

Her inspirations come from a variety of sources, including the rose gardens of the Taj Mahal and the poetry of Pablo Neruda. Experiencing her perfume is a feast for the senses, and at the event at The Pierre the combination of sights and fragrances and delicious tastes from the sublime kitchen of Executive Chef Ashfer Biju of the Hotel's restaurant Perrine brought warmth and light and life to the heart in a way that only true love can.

Presented in Lalique crystal flacons and crafted by Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel from a composition of Bulgarian rose, Plum wine, Saffron flowers, Baltic amber and Mahogany wood with a heart of pure Damask Rose from Bulgaria's Rose Valley, Amorem Rose by Shalini Parfum is a celebration of love, and as all beautiful things can, it inspires and encourages us to open our hearts to the possibility of miracles.

Amorem Rose
By Shalini Parfum

At The Pierre

2 East 61st Street

New York City
https://www.instagram.com/shaliniparfum

https://www.thepierreny.com/manhattan-hotel-deals#offer-9402

https://www.thepierreny.com

Shalini

With The Former And Current Presidents

Of The Fragrance Foundation

 

Inspiring And Lovely Tastes

From The Kitchen Of

Executive Chef Ashfer Biju Of Perrine

The Lovely And Refreshing

Scent Of A Woman Mocktail

Blessings,

Jannie Susan

An Abundant Life - Honest Authenticity

I met the Artist Leandro Comrie Pepin through an introduction from the Artist Walter John Rodriguez who I have written about in these pages before. Walter had told me that Leandro's work was excellent, and because I know that Walter is very serious about his own work and that his work is excellent, I knew that Leandro's must be as well. And when I first saw Leandro's work I was very impressed, because as with all excellent Artists, there was an integrity in his paintings as well as an obvious skill that only comes from devoted hard work, and when I spoke with him there was a seemingly lighthearted humility that belied the serious undertones and messages of the images. In some of our earliest conversations, he had shared with me that after a period of some success he had returned to a class with a teacher who had always admired his work, but in that return the teacher had pushed him to go beyond the comfort zone the teacher had felt he was resting in. I am not an advocate of teachers who call us out publicly, but Leandro's response had been to embrace the harsh critique though it had been an uncomfortable experience, and to listen and learn from it to the point that he now is grateful for the experience because he felt it had changed his work and his creative life. I wondered if he would have grown from that experience if he had been someone else with a different temperament, and over time I have realized that it is Leandro's way to grow and thrive where he finds himself because he is able to listen and learn from everyone he comes into contact with.

Leandro is a storyteller - on his Instagram page he wrote, "Art is the way I tell stories." And he is also a story collector, avidly hearing and embracing the stories of others and incorporating everyone he meets into the conversation of what it means to be human. From his earliest memories he had a mind that was inquisitive about the world around him, sharing his experiences and vision and telling the stories of those experiences through his art. And over time as his parents and family encouraged his work, he knew that art was a way of life for him, and as he has grown in skill and education and life experience, his work has grown in power.

When I sat down with him recently at the Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation, which is also known as ESKFF, at Mana Contemporary where he is currently part of the Residency Program, I asked him to tell me the story again of the teacher who had pushed him out of his comfort zone. I had seen his new work when he first began the Residency, a few weeks into the program, and when I had walked into his studio that day to say hello, I was so moved by the power and beauty of the work that if I hadn't been so familiar with his style I would have wanted to know who the Artist was. In the few weeks he had been there he had already begun to go deeper, and I wondered what the impetus had been. He told me that it was a combination of the studio space and the Residency itself, and the way that the program encourages Artists to go deeper and move into new realms, and in its own way it gives Artists a needed push to go beyond what they are familiar and comfortable with. Personally I appreciate the gentler push of ESKFF that creates a safe space for Artists to grow in, and though I have not seen Leandro's work from the now fabled time before his earlier teacher pushed him, I feel his work is possibly at the most powerful point it has ever been.

There is an integrity in Leandro's work and his life, an honesty and authenticity that is refreshing and surprising. When I walked into his studio to visit for the blog post, he was working on a canvas with such a beautifully creative spirit around him that I joked that he was pretending very well to look like he was painting. But far from being a pretender, the creative spirit in Leandro is a powerful one, so powerful that when he is working it can take him almost out of himself, and so powerful that it moves the viewer and becomes a vehicle for their own deepest thoughts and emotions to come to the surface. It is when we are our most authentic that others can be their honest selves, and it is in the art of Leandro Comrie that this kind of honest authenticity can meet and revive the soul of another.

Leandro Comrie

In The Studio At ESKFF

https://www.eskff.com/

http://www.leandrocomrie.com/

Blessings,

Jannie

An Abundant Life - Inspiration And Determination

Chef Anthony Pino is one of those rare people who is excellent at his craft while still having a very down to earth manner that sometimes surprises people, because when you walk into one of his restaurants he might be so hard at work discussing deliveries, doing some needed repairs, or helping a young couple navigate their extra large baby carriage around a narrow area so that the mother can sit close to her baby while she is eating, that if you didn't know who he was you might think he was a nice friendly neighborhood person helping out or a professional consultant who was working on a project. But make no mistake about it, Chef Anthony Pino is a Chef in the highest sense of regard for that title, with a strong history of knowing how to do the business of the business as well as a touch with food that takes the every day goodness of fresh ingredients into the realm of the inspired.

Chef Pino started Anthony David's Gourmet Specialties in Hoboken 21 years ago with his spouse and business partner Liz after they graduated from Johnson & Wales University. In November of 2008 they opened Bin 14, a wine bar that marked a first for Hoboken and that built on Chef Anthony's signature style: a blend of Italian Flavors with a mix of Modern American and Classic French sensibilities. Their AD Catering|Events Company was officially established in 2009. His food has been lauded by some of the most venerable and respected institutions in food, including Gourmet Magazine, The New York Times, and The James Beard Foundation. As he describes in his own words, "I've prepared myself to become today's Chef . . . applying all the knowledge I've gathered throughout my life. We bring the same level of attention to the food I serve at my 10-seat Chef's counter at Anthony David's, as to a gala for 1,000 guests."

The first time I met him, he was hosting an event at one of his restaurants, and because I had heard so much that was so good about him, I introduced myself and asked if I could come back and meet with him for a blog post. And then time went by, and both of our schedules were busy, until one day when I was writing about the makers of Misunderstood Whiskey and I walked into Bin 14 to see if I could try one of the specialty cocktails that was being made there, and Chef Anthony Pino was on site. He welcomed me in such a charming and friendly way, and it was flattering that he would have remembered me because we had met many months before. But that is the way that he is, though he is so busy as a Chef with multiple restaurants and a family would be, he always remembers people and welcomes everyone with a cordiality that makes them feel right at home.

During the time that I have known him, I have attended wine tasting events at Bin 14, a ten year Anniversary there and a twenty year anniversary at Anthony David's, and I have had several wine pairing dinners and lunches and other more casual meals that might be called every day if they were not so well crafted and created and designed. The art of a Chef is multi-layered, creating not only excellent food but menus with items that can stand alone or be eaten together in ways that will bring out the best flavors and help people to have the best experience possible. And then of course there is the business side of the business, the day to day of ordering, overseeing staff and training, bringing in new menu items and making changes to existing ones. And if you're Chef Anthony Pino there's also the time taken to meet and welcome neighbors and visitors and talk with people to insure their visit is a memorably enjoyable one.

Most recently when I sat down to talk with him, Chef Pino told me that he has started to incorporate Gluten Free and Vegan items into his menus. Traditionally working from Italian favorites that he adds a taste of his own inspiration to, the new items are being incorporated in ways to give people options while also keeping the best of taste and quality in mind. Although he is not solely a Vegan himself, he has started to add some of those foods and that method of eating into his own diet, and as he creates new recipes his focus is on making sure they are just as satisfying and delicious as their non-vegan counterparts. As we spoke, a theme kept coming up that showed time and again his determination and solid focus on how to move ahead and in which direction. As a ten year old he knew that he wanted to be a Chef, and by the time he had graduated from culinary school and started his first jobs, he had pushed through the challenges of learning the craft and the business and working in one of the most difficult and demanding professions in the world. And it was this focus and determination, combined with his creative inspiration that led to his opening his first restaurant and then another. The first time I walked into Anthony David's, it felt like a restaurant that I had loved for a long time and I couldn't quite place where I knew it from. But the truth of it is that it's a place like no other, because it's Chef Anthony Pino's vision that has created it.

Chef Anthony Pino

At Bin 14

1314 Washington Street

Hoboken, New Jersey

https://bin14.com/

A Few Tastes From Chef Anthony's Menu

And From The Extensive Wine List

A Signature Cocktail

A Beautiful Day For A Block Party

The 20th Anniversary Of Anthony David's 

Blessings,

Jannie Susan