I’m pleased to introduce you to “The Hamptons Collection,” a curated mix of canvas pieces that are inspired by my time out East over the years. The new collection launches this week at “Hideaway Hamptons,” my curated art, fashion and home show in Amagansett. And after much thought, I have decided to simultaneously launch most of the pieces on my website as well, for those who can’t make it to the show.
From brightly colored pieces that are reminiscent of my days spent at farm stands and driving the back roads of the Hamptons, to monochromatic works that remind me of the deep blue Atlantic ocean, to white-on-white pieces that evoke a sense of “Hamptons chic,” there is something for everyone in this new collection. And the best part is, I have diversified the sizes so there is a nice mix of medium and small pieces to choose from at varying price points.
The Hamptons is a special part of Long Island, New York, also known to some as “The East End.” I’ve been spending the majority of my summers out here since 2010, when I first moved to New York City. But I actually FIRST experienced the Hamptons briefly back in 2004 when I interned for luxury PR firm Nike Communications between my Junior and Senior years of college at The University of Kentucky.
Our PR firm was representing Fiji Water at the time, and needed an intern to help schlep waters out to VIPs and celebrities during a charity fashion event on the Bridgehampton Polo Fields. The owner of our firm also happened to be entertaining another client (Mont Blanc) that weekend, and simultaneously needed an intern to babysit her client’s three German children while they attended an evening event. You better believe I raised my hand for both duties!
I’ll never forget the high I felt as my boss’s husband drove me around the back roads of Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor in his open-air Jeep Wrangler. I seriously felt like I was on top of the world. I still remember the wind blowing my hair and the smell of salt water wafting across the car. And handing out bottled waters to Starr Jones and Heidi Klum? I had never really seen a “celebrity” before, so it was quite a moment for me! Even if I was dripping in sweat 😥.
I also had the privilege of staying in my boss’s guest house after my babysitting duties ended, and she had stocked the fridge full of freshly prepared food from a local gourmet grocery and told me to help myself. I couldn’t believe my luck. As a green 20 year old, these experiences were so eye opening and incredible for me. It didn’t matter that I was “working,” - I was learning about life. And I promised myself I’d return one day to this beautiful part of the country.
So in January 2010 when I moved to New York with my best friend Tracy, we of course decided that we’d be making our way out to the Hamptons come summer. And we did. We piled in share houses that summer, always with a fun gaggle of girls who were up for a good time. We’d spend all day at the beach and all night at one of the many fun bars or restaurants, our favorite always being the music venue, “Stephen Talkhouse.” And then I met Bill (my now husband) in East Hampton on Labor Day weekend 2010. We were both living in the city and he had been coming out to the Hamptons for many years and knew it well. We started dating in the city soon after.
In 2013, Bill purchased a house in East Hampton, and we subsequently got married in the Hamptons in 2014. Even though we moved to Texas in 2014, East Hampton and its surrounding areas have remained an influential part of our lives. We have brought our kids here for many weeks at a time in the summers, and I’ve even brought my girlfriends up North to experience the Hamptons in the fall (my favorite time of year!).
It’s funny to look back now and re-live the Hamptons through each stage of my life - green 20 year-old college student, 26-year old young professional, 31-year old newlywed, 33 year old new mother, and now 38 year-old mother of three and professional artist. I have changed in many ways, but this special place has remained the same in so many ways. I still experience the same high I felt 18 years ago when I cruise the back roads, this time in my own convertible. And I still feel a sense of peace and calm when I sit on the beach and listen to the waves.
The Hamptons is many things to many people, but to me, it’s a sense of belonging, a second home, a place I’ll never tire of. And now, those feelings and memories are wrapped up in my brand new art collection. I hope you love it just as much as I do!
