Let’s talk about the muse and how they function in the life of the artist. We all have influences that kick our artistic butts into gear....

I had a fair number of technical difficulties with this entry as the reel-to-reel from 1959 was damaged. You’ll hear some interference...

Immigrants to a new nation are often the most ardent in their love for their new country and my family was a classic example of the...

With a photo of Elise from from a few years prior to that same time period. My grandmother was a very talented artist. The whole family...

My maternal great aunt Hermine is a spitfire who has always amazed the family with her abundant energy and stubborn streak. She is tiny....

Gothic horror, film noire, and melodrama will frequently feature a scene with a spooky portrait. Here are a few examples off the top of...

The Halloween costumes of my mother’s youth doubled down on her opera training. Here are three from her teenage years. They were living...

My people, going way back, must be a seafaring people. I want to discover pirates in my family tree. No, I probably won’t. I’ve always...

In my family, you can be a physician or a musician, but you can rarely be both. My cousin Sophie Bourgeois is extraordinary for managing...

Maternal grandmother Hélène was often enlisted to do the portraits of performers over her long career. Here’s one she did of the French...

My maternal grandmother, Hélène, was a professional portrait artist. From time to time, as I catalog the family photos, I’ll recognize a...