I know so many of you can relate to this - It can be SO exhausting to constantly view your work as a competition…
In social media + society, we are being bombarded with images of perfection. We try to compete against other in order to stand out and be seen as the best. In the interior design world in particular there are a thousand talented decorative painters, and even more interior designers, competing for the limelight. Seriously, it makes me tired just thinking about it…
Out with the pressure. In with the community.
Luckily, I’ve met several people that have made an impact on my overall outlook as well as my career. They were gracious enough to see beyond themselves and offer to help me out if/when I needed it. They made me realize that that the only person I should be competing with is my past self.
And honestly…my final projects are that much better for it. I’ve found that I get so much more from working alongside others than from trying to tackle it alone. In doing so, I’ve also formed life-long friendships that I cherish and that I’m certain have made me into the artist that I am today.
Knowing When to Call for Backup
There are a couple decorative artists that I always call on when the job is either too big or too daunting.
Cathy Rinn of KellyBelle Studios comes to mind as one of my favorite creative partners. We have leaned on each other several times and have collaborated on each others’ projects. We can problem solve better as two minds brainstorming together.
Helping out Cathy Rinn on a restaurant project in Washington DC
My girls Mary, Alicia, and Bronwyn laying down some plaster.
It also helps that we are members of a larger community, called IDAL- the International Decorative Artisans League. IDAL is an organization that is several hundred members deep. When any of us come up against a challenge, there’s always other artists willing to offer help.
My momma was always up for helping me out. This was taken in 2011 on the set of “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” in Baltimore.
Helping out Cathy Rinn at Mi Vida at the Wharf in Washington DC.
Some more artist I’ve had the pleasure of working with are David Wiesand, Deborah Watson, Alison Roy-Harrison, and William Cochran. They’re all incredible talents so definitely check them out!
Teamwork = A Business Asset, Not a Professional Threat
When working with interior designers, I love it when I’m asked how I would approach a problem. It makes me feel like a member of the team and that my professional opinion is valued.
Sometimes, however, a designer may be worried that they will be cut out of the process by allowing me to interact directly with the client. I understand and value my relationships with my designers and in those instances, I always recommend that I at least be included in a contractor meeting. Here’s why…
I recently worked on a project with Juliette Palarea of JP Styles. Her client hired her to transform her first floor, and upstairs hallway. Early on in the process she called a contractor meeting which included Juliette, myself, her GC, and a finish carpenter. The collaborative meeting allowed us all to brainstorm ideas and talk through various approaches.
Before shot of JP Styles’ living room re-design that we discussed during our contractor meeting
We were able to discuss openly and offer suggestions in order to make the project more streamlined and successful.
During that project I felt valued as a key team member and not just as “the faux finisher.” The solution that I came up with was to apply a limestone plaster over the existing brick fireplace; a solution that was not only less expensive than replacing the surround entirely, but one that was completely customized in color and texture which better fit the decor.
An open letter to my design peeps
There are several other designers that I love working with because we have trust and respect in our collaborations. A couple of those designers have even become dear friends. If I tried listing them all I know I would forget several and I would feel terrible!! But you know who you are if you’re reading this ;)
I’ve worked with several on Decorator Show Houses, and most recently did several projects for the Historic Ellicott City Show House opening this month.
A little corner of Carol Weil of The Decorating Therapist’s space in the upcoming Historic Ellicott City Decorator Show House. I taught my assistant Bronwyn how to do the malachite pedestal and I created the tryptic art inspired by Kandinsky.
You are only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with
I used to think I could do it all on my own. Truthfully, I was afraid of giving up control. During the process of rebuilding my business after several personal setbacks I came to the realization that I needed to find an assistant that I could rely on…
One afternoon I was having coffee at a shop in Baltimore when I ran into Bronwyn Haymes. We knew each other from the Ellicott City Arts Coalition, which I founded as a way of creating a collaboration of galleries and artists in the historic district. Bronwyn had interned for one of the galleries and I was always impressed with her organizational skills as well as her artistic merit.
As fate would have it, Bronwyn had made the decision to stop attending college and was working part-time at Creative Alliance while working on her career path. It dawned on me that she would be the perfect person to join me!
I’m SO glad she was interested because she truly is a blessing…she’s punctual, attentive, detail-oriented, and proactive on the job. And she’s as neurotic about organization as I am! As a team, we are able to provide our clients with great work done efficiently. Plus, we have a great time together as you can see in our Instagram posts.
Browyn + Dee - All in a day’s work at the Ronald McDonald House of Maryland where we laid down some woodgraining.
When cocktails lead to collaboration…
Speaking of Ellicott City, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the show I recently created with Cathy Ferguson and PJ Strain. “Indulgence” came about one evening when Cathy and I were having drinks.
LtR - Mary Landavere, Cathy, Leah Sarah Bassett, Dee Lenehan, Bronwyn Haymes at “Indulgence” opening at Pure Wine Cafe
The libations were flowing and I had what I call a “ brain fart” and blurted out my idea of doing a show centered on the idea of indulging in earthy pleasures, all centered around Valentine’s Day. Cathy loved it and we enlisted the help of PJ Strain who owns Pure Wine Café as well as artists Mary Landavere, Bronwyn Haymes, and Leah Sarah Bassett. You can read more here.
Bluegrass and Box Jumps – My “off the clock” collabs
Collaboration isn’t limited to my professional life! I have a wonderful musical family and love to play with my friends and my band, playing bass in different shows and jamming at friends’ houses. Almost every weekend is filled with concerts where I’ll see musician friends out supporting one another.
Playing upright bass in my band, Strings Attached, down in Old Ellicott City
I also belong to a local Crossfit gym, Crossfit Catonsville, and the vibe there is so uplifting and encouraging, I wouldn’t know where I’d be without them. I’ve made some great friends while suffering through box jumps and power cleans!
“Partner Pandemonium”- an in house competition where everyone was encouraged to participate.
The annual Catonsville Fourth of July Parade where CFC pulls a truck.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change”
Brene Brown talks a lot about vulnerability. For me, collaboration takes a bit of vulnerability because you’re admitting that you can’t do it all on your own…and that’s okay. It’s all about owning your fear of failure and asking for help.
I am so grateful to the friends and colleagues who have helped me and continue to help me along in my journey as well as those who have let me assist with theirs.
If you’re stuck on a project or can’t find the right fix to an interior design problem, I may be able to collaborate with you on a solution. Or, at the very least, let’s meet for drinks and see what kind of “brain farts” ensue.
