Who is your Muse and where does your Muse dwell?
I'm inspired to find out who everyones Muse is while in Los Angeles for the 7th annual La Cienega Design Quarter LEGENDS 2015, May 6-8.
One of the highlights at Legends are the 67 windows of the shops, showrooms and galleries that will come to life with this year's theme Where Muses Dwell. Each window will be designed by a notable interior designer, and bring to life their Muse, revealing their source of inspiration.
It will be exciting to see what's happening in the world of interior design in an design quarter that has attracted design icons since the 1950's like Elsie de Wolfe, Tony Duquette and Kalef Alaton to name just a few.
I plan on seeing all the windows but the ones that I may head to first are featuring the Muses; Pauline de Rothschild, Yves Saint Laurent and Starlets & Set Decorators of the 1940's.
I'll try to get back to my favorite windows in the evening when window viewing becomes an especially magical and transporting experience!
This theme really inspired me to think of what my Muse is and why, so I am first looking to the classical 9 Muses in Greek Mythology.
Painting of the 9 Greek Muses from Mantega's Parnassus 1497, Louvre, Paris
"sing to me oh Muse"...
Each Greek Muses has wonderful attributes, however mine would definitely be Erato, the passionate one or lovely one, protector of love and love poetry and Muse of parrots (Erato must also be the Muse of my little green and black Jardine parrot named Dgiba). The Nine Muses of the Greek Mythology, all daughters of Zeus, were deities that gave artists, philosophers and individuals the necessary inspiration for creation. Erato is depicted as an ethereal woman with Devine beauty holding a lyre, her name comes from the Greek word “Eros” that refers to the feeling of falling in love.
John Russel's "Portrait of a Young Lady as Muse Erato"
I've embraced Erato as my Muse to support me in continuing to not be swayed about what is or is not in fashion but to follow my heart and collect and surround myself with what I'm deeply drawn to. I know from experience that this brings a poetic quality to life that stirs the passion to live in the truth and beauty of who I am. I find that there's so much pleasure and delight in falling in love with the lines and comfort of a certain chair, the patina from the age of an objet d'art or that textile that is so sensuous to the touch and alluring to the eyes! Erato surely declares to surround oneself with what one is truly and deeply in love with!
'Above all, you have to love a house to make it a success; it's always a question of love.' - Madeleine Castaing
Picasso's Erato
When you collect things you love, that are authentic to you, then your home will become your story and reflect your soul.
Next time I meet with a friend, client or colleague, I'm definitely going to ask about their Muse. I can't think of a better way to get know someone, than to find out who, what, when or where inspires them the most.
Queen Marie Antoinette posing as Erato in 1788 by Ludwig Guttenbrunn
I'm sure there will be lots of great conversation on the subject of Muses at the upcoming La Cienega Design Quarter LEGENDS Event. I'll take plenty of photos of the window displays and I'm looking forward to sharing my favorite windows with you in my next blog when I return from the City of the Angels. Until then, ask yourself 'who is my Muse?' and surround yourselves with the poetry of all the things you love!