Editorial Writing

Follow Your Art
Modern In Denver, September 2020

Excerpt: “But while Instagram has introduced a new level of autonomy and opportunity for artists, it has also brought its own set of issues. For one thing, it can be incredibly time-consuming. On top of the time it takes to create the art itself, taking photos, researching hashtags, posting, and interacting with other accounts and followers makes for a fairly labor-intensive process, especially if art isn’t your full time gig.

The existence of likes and followers, though validating and even life-changing for many, also poses its own challenges. For fledgling art accounts like Moreau’s, the pressure to gain followers and post “grammable” content can often influence the art an artist chooses to make. For Moreau, the tension is between the trendy alcohol-paintings that gained her a sizable following and the organic line formations she feels her art is gravitating toward.

And where does that leave art galleries? Even before COVID restricted in-person gatherings, it’s no secret that the rise of social media was hurting the industry. “I do still think there’s a place for galleries,” says Moreau, and if anything, they can use Instagram to their advantage. Many art galleries have started sourcing art through Instagram that they otherwise would not have found through normal means. Conversely, galleries may be more inclined to show a wider diversity of art with follower counts acting as a source of validity and proof of resonance with consumer tastes. Further, more than a decade into the age of social media, galleries persist because they continue to function as a well-established system of building artists’ careers and connecting members of the art industry, not to mention playing a role in individual communities.”

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Non Mollare Mai
Modern In Denver, June 2020

Excerpt: “Design,” says Milan native Laura Folgoni, a principal at Veselbrand Studios in Denver, “is a fundamental resource of the cultural patrimony of Italy—and Milan in particular.”

That love of design has a long and storied history: Located at the crossroads of numerous trade and transportation routes, Milan has always been an industrial and financial powerhouse. Since the time of the Roman Empire, wealthy and powerful citizens have lived near Milan in lavish villas, initially attracting artisans like carpenters, glaziers, decorators, and upholsterers to the area and later, during industrialization, Milan’s furniture factories.

The passion for design is built into the very structure of these factories, which Italian companies want to make as beautiful as the pieces they produce. Furniture company Cassina even hired world-renowned architect Patricia Urquiola in 2017 to renovate its headquarters and production center in Brianza. Folgoni says this kind of investment stems from Italians’ profound respect for beauty and their deeply rooted sense of pride.”

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Online Samples

Paris to Hollywood to Denver
Modern In Denver Online, May 2021

Excerpt: “Drawing on the overarching theme of the arch, the firm decided on white scrim fabric divides to set the scenes of the space, which are organized partially by chronology, but more according to parts of the Pecks’ life story. The partial transparency of the fine mesh textile tempts the viewer farther into the exhibit while its materiality echoes the dresses on display. “We wanted the space to feel very fluid,” says Brian. “The fabric arches help create moments of pause and expansion as you go from space to space.”

The form of the arch continues to the built elements of the gallery like the platforms and furniture pieces, and even permeates to the gallery’s lowest level — the floor. White vinyl lines delicately trace the edges of the gallery and its defined spaces, mimicking the arches above. But the lines speak to the happy accidents that can occur with interdisciplinary collaboration. When seen through the lens of Müller, purely functional elevation markings on the firm’s proposed design became an unexpected graphic detail that underscores the gallery and its spaces.”

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Branching Out
Modern In Denver Online, January 2021

Excerpt: “However, in Nistler and Leddy’s case, airborne asbestos fibers had been pushed all over their home, leaving only one option: asbestos abatement. During abatement, the exposed area is sealed off and asbestos is removed from the air and hard surfaces, such as walls, countertops, and wood furniture. However, once asbestos lands on soft materials or touches anything with a grill or intake (like appliances or electronics), it is impossible to remove. Therefore, the whole item is placed in a sealed bag and disposed of by asbestos professionals. “So any furniture, clothes, or any sort of textural element had to be completely destroyed,” explains Nislter, along with all their appliances, electronics, and even their fireplace. In the end, Nistler estimates that they lost around 80-90% of all the physical contents of their home.

Remarkably, however, the Cliff May mavens are optimistic. Making lemonade out of lemons, Nistler and Leddy are taking this opportunity to make their home even better than it was before. “There were instances during the remodel where we compromised on our original vision because we realized it would require some major re-wiring or relocating and now, since everything is torn apart, we can really do the home 110% the way we imagined it,” says Nistler. Working with insurance, the immediate repairs—like to roof—have already been completed, but Nistler expects that the rest of the remodel will be completed by July.”

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The A Frame: America’s Vacation Home
Modern In Denver Online, November 2020

Excerpt: “Although the inspiration for the modern A-frame is generally considered to be architect Rudolph Schindler’s Lake Arrowhead cabin built in 1936, the reinvention of the A-frame generally traces back to the mid 20th-century. During the 1950s and 60s, postwar prosperity launched an era of “second everything,” allowing Americans to have second televisions, bathrooms, and even homes. Cheap building materials and road construction gave many Americans unprecedented access to vacationing in more remote areas like by lakes or in the mountains. And with the A-frame’s ease of construction and natural ability to wick away snow, it was the perfect fit for a new wave of second homeowners.”

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