Orient -- the Novel.

From the Causeway to Bug
Light -- Suspense Grips
the North Fork
Christopher Bollen, a writer living in New York City, has written a suspense novel set in the quiet village of Orient, New York. Faithful readers of Femme et Fleur will know the village well, as "Lazy Girl" posts from Orient during the month of August.

Christopher read from his novel last evening during a benefit event for the Oysterponds Historical Society, held at the Martos Gallery in Chelsea.

Orient will be published by Harper in May, 2015.

 Christopher regularly writes about art, literature and culture.

He is the Editor-at-Large for Interview Magazine.

As Christopher explained it, he first came to Orient as a renter, and found the nights scary because it was so dark and quiet. Perhaps that was one impetus that led him to write a tender kind of narrative about Orient, with a "dark" side of multiple murders. The parts of the story that he read at the gallery were quite literary and evocative of time and place.

Christopher said he had to keep reminding himself to go back to the murders and move the plot along past the lyricism of his story. Here is an apt blurb for the book.

"A thoughtful literary thriller—The Great Gatsby meets Donna Tartt. Suspenseful, beautifully written, and wonderfully atmospheric, Orient is that rare treat that is both page-turner and a book you will want to savor." —PHILIPP MEYER

Richard and I at the Red Cat, where

we dined before the event.

 Jeanne Markel and Libby Wadle, President, J. Crew brand, 

and guest.

Jeanne is wearing "Tomato Plant"

by Carol Markel.

 Richard meets the young Martos Gallery assistant.

 Guests with Dick Gillooly,

(in red tie).

 Libby Wadle with her husband,

David Potter.

 The gallery scene before the reading.

 Left to right: artist, T.J. Wilcox, and gallerists

Servane Mary and Jose Martos.

 Art on display in the Martos Gallery.

 You can find out more about Christopher Bollen's

new novel here.

Lazy Girl will return to Orient in August.

À Bientôt!

Out of Bounds: Freedom of Expression

Blockbusters Come in
Small Packages
An Exhibition in Yonkers is Full of
Energy and Color

I am so honored to be included in a wonderful exhibition now on view at the Blue Door Art Center and Gallery, 13 Riverdale Avenue in Yonkers, New York.

Curated by Shelita Birchett Benash, with help from Arle Sklar Weinstein and Luis Perelman, the show is called: Out of Bounds:Freedom of Expression. The works in the show exude energy, which seems to be transfused from Shelita who has a larger-than-life dose of enthusiasm for art and life.

 Shelita and me in front of my hats.

Shelita discusses the show's concepts with friends.
"The exhibition is an international, all-media exploration of how
deep creativity and fearlessness push artists outside the lines
of traditional methods, applications and ways of seeing."

 I made this hat to wear to the show.

 An undisputed star of Out of Bounds, is the outsider artist,

Sue Kreitzman. Her work is displayed against a splendid red wall

on the stage-like mezzanine of the gallery.

 Sue creates these paintings, assemblages and necklaces

using found-object materials and

lots of fully saturated color.

 I love these giant heart creations.

 Sue divides her time between London

and New York.

 Sue is currently being honored by Selfridges

Department Store in London as one of 14

"Bright Old Things."

Her art installation occupies one window of

Selfridges on Oxford Street.

One of Sue's incredible goddess wonder women.

 An elegant, patchwork corset by Shelita
Birchett Benash.

Shelita's "The Offering III,"
ceramic mixed media salvaged, organic fiber,
metal and wood.

Jeanne Markel admires Anothai
Hansen's "Spirit Girl Big Doll"

Doll by Shula Weinstein

 "Side Show" by Miz Thang

Julia Sisi, "Inner Seas"

Arle Sklar Weinstein, director of the Blue Door Gallery and

artist, chats with Jeanne Markel and Inge Brown.

 Golda Solomon, poet-in-residence,
Blue Door Gallery

Nonnie Balcer looking charming and

lovely as she is decked out for the cold day.

Hand-painted, mixed media dolls

by Noel Donaldson

"I always wanted to be free."

Thornton Dial

 I was so happy to see how Shelita had
displayed my hats as sculpture.

 Vistors were asked to express themselves, so
Inge wrote a note to say that perhaps Mary,
of Downton Abbey, might have worn one
of my hats with her new haircut.

Inge is the founder of the Katonah Gallery,

now the Katonah Museum of Art.

Arle Sklar Weinstein's kimono is on

the back wall.

I hope you all can visit the show.

The catalog is available here.

À Bientôt!

A Tee We Can Love

A Tee That Captures

the Senior Moment

Advanced Style's Ari Seth Cohen, and designer, 

Fanny Karst, Present a Tee

That a Senior Can Love

Word playing on the popular Netflix series, "Orange is the New Black," blogger, writer and photographer, Ari Seth Cohen, has teamed up with the young, independent designer, Fanny Karst, to create a charming tee shirt that both seniors and juniors can love.

The two have created a limited edition "Old Is The New Black" T-shirt. And old certainly is all over the place these days with the octogenarian Iris Apfel popping up in print ads from Kate Spade to Alexis Bittar.

"Aging never goes out of style, but the fashion world is definitely having a senior moment," says Ari, whose blog, "Advanced Style," features men and women of a certain age.  "This season's It Girls are all over the age of 60! We are thrilled to see so may brilliant, powerful, and gorgeous older women in campaigns and on the runway" he adds.

 Advanced Style icon,

Debra Rapoport, models

the new tee.

Fanny Karst is a talented designer from France, who designs under the label, "The Old Ladies Rebellion." Her pieces are chic and daring, whether worn by old or young ladies.

T-shirts are 100% Cotton Made in The U.S.A and can be ordered for a limited time here.

À Bientôt!

Bon anniversaire, Jeanne

Happy Birthday,
Jeanne
Today is Jeanne's birthday. Jeanne Marie is my sister.  Maybe my mother, Mary, was reading this book when our Jeanne Marie was came along.

Jeanne is the baby of our family which consists of me, Susan and David. I fondly remember rocking Jeanne's carriage back and forth with my bare foot as I sat in our house on Littleworth Lane in Sea Cliff, doing my homework on the kitchen table. I did this so our mother could could get some sleep.

Jeanne and her husband, Chris have two great children. Each one is doing fantastic things. Sarah is doing her Masters in Textile Design at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Jack, a senior in high school, has already made many unique and compelling films. 

Sarah and Jack at Sarah's wedding.

Jeanne with her dog, Fern, waiting for

Sarah and Damon at the wedding.

 Jeanne has a good sense of humor.

She puns, but not as well as I do.

In general, we have a competitive

punning culture in our family.
Jeanne will probably think she is a better punner, 
but this is my blog.
She can comment if she wants to.

I will say this.
Jeanne is a competitive Scrabble player.
She knows every two-letter word.
So is David. In this game, they are in a dead heat.

This is Jeanne at a Katonah Museum of Art event
that she helped to organize several years ago.
It was a luncheon, book signing and fashion show for
Amy Sedaris and Mary Adams.
Jeanne is Vice President of the Board of Trustees 
for the Katonah Museum of Art.
I hope you have a great day on your
birthday, February 10.

À Bientôt!