Two Artists' Final Project

Celebrating the creative life

Dear Readers:

For the past two weeks, I’ve been traveling in Tanzania, Africa — wandering around in a near-constant state of wonder. I hope to bring you an account of this trip, but like most of my stories, I have a feeling this one will emerge in short bursts.

Bear with me.

My point is that some experiences are just TOO MUCH. Too much for me, anyway.

For now, here’s a photo of me meeting some school children in a remote village — sort-of near the capital city of Dodoma, Tanzania.

… and another of me appearing to mesmerize a group of children — or perhaps lead them in song. (I was doing neither, but merely taking a photo of them.)

I’ll fill in the details regarding this journey later, but for now …

… here’s something completely different.

[Richard and Victoria MacKenzie-Childs]

[Victoria MacKenzie-Childs holding some of her designs]

You can’t get more “different” than the story of Victoria and Richard MacKensie Childs.

For many years, this ingenious and ambitious couple owned and ran the fantabulous MacKensie-Childs ceramics factory in Aurora, New York — quite near to where I live.

The couple created and marketed a unique “look” of checkerboard ceramics and enamelware that eventually expanded into an entire lifestyle brand, featuring unique tableware, textiles, and hand-painted furniture. Eventually they opened a fancy flagship shop on Madison Avenue in New York, where you could buy a $250 teapot or an $8000 chair. (A MacKenzie-Childs shop is now in Soho.)

Like most people around here, I own a few MacKenzie-Childs pieces, which are popular wedding and shower gifts — or personal splurges. (I’ve picked up most of these pieces at their popular “barn sale,” where they sell slightly-off “seconds.”]

[A gathering of some of the MacKenzie-Childs pieces I’ve collected over the years]

{I especially LOVE their unique checkerboard pattern — pictured here on enamelware from my kitchen]

In 2001, after a series of ambitious and extravagant business decisions, the MacKensie-Childs business entered bankruptcy, whereupon it was scooped up for pennies on the dollar by Pleasant Rowlands (the founder of American Girl dolls).

The MacKensie-Childs’ lost everything — their massive home, the factory they built, and even the right to use THEIR OWN NAME in any subsequent business ventures.

This is a very complicated business story. Suffice it to say that the beautiful MacKensie-Childs factory in Aurora, NY still cranks out whimsical pieces designed by the original artists, but the artists themselves have lost the rights to their designs and subsequent control over the very look that they created.

Victoria and Richard moved to New York City, and for many years have been living on an old Ellis Island ferryboat floating off of a New York City pier. Like everything Victoria and Richard MacKensie-Childs have ever done, this space is whimsical and beautifully-appointed.

The artists themselves are now facing yet another tough transition, which is documented in beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately inspiring fashion in a 17-minute long documentary, which I’ve linked-to below.

This uncompromising couple of artists are nearing the end of their long creative journey, and — what can I say? — they are doing it their way.

For some basic information about Victoria and Richard MacKenzie Childs and their design business:

CLICK HERE

The MacKenzie-Childs style is wacky and whimsical. But their lives — like all of ours — have been drawn with crooked lines.

Ultimately, we’re all slightly-off “seconds,” aren’t we?

It’s hard to watch this account of their situation and not feel … a lot of things. But these artists are still creating and designing their own lives. And they’re soldiering on in their own unique way.

I’ve lead too careful a life to dare to float and drift the way they’ve done. But I think it’s quite brave.

Love,

Amy

PS: If you’ve made it ALL THE WAY to the end of this newsletter, please do shoot me a “heart” or comment. Your hearts tell me that you’ve read this. Your comments tell me that you have something to say. I value both.