for april

Today I mailed out a pendant for my friend April, who lives in Athens, GA. She has the most amazing victorian home there that's part art installation/part museum of well-chosen antiques. She's an avid collector, and when she bought the house, she didn't know that stenciling and frescoes dating back to the end of the 19th century were hiding beneath that the many layers of white paint. She painstakingly restored the walls and added her own personal magic, and everywhere you look there's something unusual, dramatic and beautiful.... lots of old mercury glass, chunks of amber, a collection of glowing Vaseline glass... old botanical prints, murky oil paintings and aged mirrors... and lots of curiosities under glass domes. And I love the piece from her friend Howard Finster hanging over her bathtub that reads "for April"...

3 years ago, April found out she had breast cancer, and after a period of recovery, she's now feeling much better, and is a true believer that eventually, cancer will be stamped out completely. I saw her a couple of months ago while I was visiting Athens and she happily drove me around town in her new Prius. April is unique and very genuine, and I admire her deep appreciation for history and for simple beautiful things... and for her strong belief in wellness.