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Walking into a large studio in the Springs, I was met with artwork exuding ethereal intellect that I knew could only be the product of an exceptional artist. Best described as a kaleidoscope of perspective, I found myself completely mesmerized in the world and works of Eric Freeman.
On a Summery August 2nd in 2019, I attended an Artist Tour and luncheon with New York Fine Art Current (NYFA in the Hamptons. Graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts fed the passion that has allured towards artwork of all mediums. Studying Art History and spending more than 25 Summers on the East End of Long Island, one can easily understand how many artists have gravitated to this area of the East Coast. Legends such as Jackson Pollack, Lee Krasner, Alfonse Orsorio and many more have graced this area with their artistic presence. Most notable about visiting this haven of art, the land seems to vibrate with a unique energy and is dressed in the most magical light. The opportunity to spend time with Artists who worked here in their studios and to hear about their work was a dream come true.
Upon entering Freeman’s Studio, I was immediately captivated by both his work and intellect, his paintings were simply empyrial, I knew I was in the presence of someone special. Working in Fashion for over 25 years, I immediately thought my former employer, Calvin Klein, would simply go mad for Eric’s work. The artist’s sense of Color and minimalism was so refreshing and inspiring, little did I know at that time, Calvin Klein wrote the foreword for his Book.
Proceeding the Art Tour, the group was invited to a NYFA Board Member’s home in Bridgehampton for lunch. To my surprise, Eric was also there and came right up to me to introduce himself. His warmth, candor and humility resonated with me, and I knew moving forward with a pivot in my career from Fashion Executive to Interior Decorator, I needed to include the magic of Art Curation in my life.
Two years later, I was given the opportunity to Curate Artwork for a Commercial Luxury Development project in San Francisco to soon be called One Steuart Lane. I immediately contacted Eric Freeman to tell him about the project in hopes that he would be interested in being included in the collection. I remember the day and conversation well.
It was February of 2021 during the winter lockdown in New York City. Eric and I spoke on the phone for over an hour. He was absolutely charming, remembered me from the luncheon and felt delighted and honored to have his work included in this project with fellow artists Joseph LaPiana, Gino Miles, Donald Sultan and more. In addition to discussing Artwork, we stayed on the phone discussing our love of Interiors, life and more. For someone so talented, Eric’s warmth, sincerity, and general interest in my life both personal and professional was incredibly touching. It was a gift to work with him to curate two paintings for One Stuart Lane, offering the dream come true to visit Freeman during his process in his Studio in the Springs. Working together felt seamless and the prospect of working on future projects was a dazzling thought.
In late Summer of 2021, I flew out to San Francisco to begin the week-long installation of One Steuart Lane. One trip that represented the culmination of the previous 2-3 years of work. Being present in the space a large group of professionals had all worked towards was beguiling. Uncrating the full selection of Artwork I had helped curate, the personal connection I had made with the artwork and project was solidified as I reflected on the friendships I had formed with the Artists.
Preparing to begin installation on August 3rd, I started the day with a standard social media scroll. All was seemingly normal until I happened upon a post by Eric’s Partner, Ross Bleckner, telling of his passing. I could not believe my eyes, as we were there in the early stages of installation before we could hang his work. It was hard to imagine someone who was so full of life just two weeks prior was gone. I had no words for his absence contradicted by Freeman’s presence in our collection of art. Although I did not know Eric long, our connection was special and profound to me. This only made the installation of his work mean much more to the entire team.
There are so many lessons to learn from how he lived his life from a place of honesty, kindness and humility which seems so simple, yet lost by so many in today's world. It takes great courage and strength following a creative path, to go left instead of going right. Thanks to his small gestures of kindness, I discovered these special people were my chosen family.
I dedicate this first Blog Post to Eric Freeman’s memory. We met on August 2nd 2019; Eric passed almost 2 years to the date on August 3 2022, shortly before we hung his 2 stunning paintings commissioned for One Steuart Lane. Knowing him was truly an honor.
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