Imagine a hot summer day with a cool breeze, ice cold lemonade in your hand and some of your favorite music playing in the background. You may be asking what music and interior design have in common. These two fields have some similarities; all artists start with an idea, a vision, a goal. From there, they work tirelessly to make that dream a reality. Dedication and experimentation cause the original idea to alchemize into the final rendition. Christine is consistently inspired and in awe of musicians perfecting their art form.
As a young child, Christine was introduced to the piano by one of her neighbors, in a common area of the apartment building in Philadelphia, where she and her family lived. She began to take lessons when her family moved to New Jersey. Her love of music became one of her earliest passions in the arts. She grew up attending the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra performances. It was here she was introduced her to composers such as Paganini, Vivaldi, Bach and Chopin, with her favorite classical composer being Beethoven (pictured to the left).
Many great musicians are remembered for being a pioneer of a new style of music or delivering new messages to the public. This facet of music has always intrigued Christine. Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop”, demanded attention and was innovative with his music and messages. His personality exuded something that can only be described as exoteric. Prior to the internet and the ability to download music, Christine listened to NYC radio stations which featured the most cutting edge artists of the day. These artists include innovators such as Eric B. and Rakim, MC Shan, and Run DMC. All of these talents experimented and became inaugural artists for an individual style of music.
Christine first took note of Aaron Neville, a native of New Orleans at Jazz Fest in NOLA. Neville has roots in R&B and his strong ties to New Orleans and expansive career has lead to him becoming an inductee to the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday, Louisiana. LL Cool J is another musician that has inspired Christine to learn and grow as a designer. LL Cool J has been able to continually evolve his art form over his nearly thirty year career. His first album was released in 1985 and his thirteenth album was released in 2013. With such great success, LL Cool J was a nominee to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio this year.
As designers, we continually grow and change with technology and trends. The awareness and flexibility to both please our clients and push boundaries with a design is a skill that is learned with years of experience. Christine’s early and continued love and respect of music has been a constant source of influence.