Tuesday, October 9, 2012

What I'm Looking At Today: Gloria Vanderbilt


I fell in love with Gloria Vanderbilt when I opened up a book and there she was in a full length gown, in her fabulous celery green living room with a full length portrait....nothing and no one could have been more glamorous for a little gay boy living in Elizabeth, NJ. 

Many years later I came across a book of Horst photos and the ever fabulous Ms Vanderbilt was again a standout. 

Ms Vanderbilt studied acting as well as art at the Art Student's League of New York. Well known for her one woman shows of oil paintings, watercolors and pastels she eventually licensed them to Hallmark Cards. In 2011 Ms Vanderbilt  opened her first exhibition 'Dream Boxes' at the southern Vermont Arts Center to critical acclaim.

Yesterday I encountered the artist's work in person at the 1st Dibs Showroom in NYC. The space is clean and fresh with super white walls and floors filled with her textured and multilayered paintings and collages.


A view of the gallery space




Celebration 1970




The gallery space with a painting 'Two girls in White' at the far end




Surprises 2002



Below are three wonderful pictures taken by Horst P. Horst from 1970 of Ms Vanderbilt in her fabulous apartment 





Below is my homage to the Queen of Decoupage, a show house in Nyak, NY with a floor created out of patchwork



The World of Gloria Vanderbilt is open thru October 24th at the 1st Dibs Showroom
200 Lexington Ave, New York City
646.293.6633


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