with others.
I am first generation Italian, my parents came here in the 60’s. My earliest memories of a kitchen was me holding a wooden spoon in my hand, sitting at the base of my grandmother’s stove while she made red sauce. I learned very early the importance of family, food and wine. My grandfather grew tomato plants in tomato cans on the roof of the apartment building on Taylor Street in Chicago. He took me up there only once in a while, which was such a treat. I thought I could reach heaven! It felt we were so high up! I also remember him walking me down to the dank, musty basement to grab a jug of his homemade wine for dinner. The wooden wine press sat stoically in the middle of the floor, smelling of fermentation and faintly of old grapes. This proved to be a rich tapestry for my creative life as well as my love of food, wine and gardening. But I did not know it at the time. I have been truly blessed by having this foundation in my life.
I have disappointed people as far as the predictions and hopes of what I was going to be when I grew up. My middle school mates thought I should be a singer, being the lead in our 8th grade musical and always excelling in the church choir. My old-fashioned father just wanted me to skip college, get married and have babies. I guess I did the latter half of that, but not in the order which he wanted. My mother wanted me to be a writer, she was always my biggest fan of my creative writing through the years. I guess I have achieved that to some degree, publishing now online and being a featured writer for some online magazines. But I think she wanted me to write the great American novel and I just don’t have the confidence or grammar to do that! No one wanted me to follow my art talent. I guess that is why I did. Everyone told me I would starve. I originally wanted to write and illustrate childrens’ books (and still do). But that route is hard to pay bills with. So I found my way into art direction and advertising, and there I have blossomed and also have grown others-the most rewarding part of my job.
In between all this, I live in The Second City with my little family in a somewhat rehabbed Victorian (I say somewhat because is a Victorian ever truly done being rehabbed?) I have a 9 1/2 year old who follows her own imaginative drum (of course), a loving and supportive husband who I met actually at my first ad agency gig (he was my boss…I know…I know…totally bad thing to do. Safe to say it worked out!) It is here where my creative juices flow-from caring for my daughter and garden to creating delicious things in my run-down kitchen (that is not “somewhat rehabbed”). Sewing, gluing, crafting, reading, decorating, entertaining while still getting laundry and math homework done is always happening to some degree at my house. Reading new business decks in between writing up blog posts at 1 a.m. is a typical occurrence. It’s busy. It’s crazy. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It keeps the journey interesting and it keeps me learning. Thank you for letting me share the journey with you.
Peace.
Now let’s go make something.