Flowers for Andy

In the early days of my artistic journey, while trying to find inspiration, I spent a lot of time wandering through antique shops, interior design stores, and flea markets in New York City. I loved visiting places like Housing Works, Chelsea Flea Market, the West Side Bazaar, and especially Olde Good Things in Midtown.

I was drawn to the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings—the sparkle of the crystals, especially those from the Plaza and Waldorf Astoria, was absolutely fabulous. If those chandeliers could talk! The parties, the glamour. I found myself dreaming of taking them apart and using their beautiful crystals in my artwork.

One Sunday, at a local antique shop in Bellport, NY, I found some chandelier flowers attached to broken sconces in the corner. I immediately knew I had to have them and later used them in my first painting, Debut 01. That moment sparked so many ideas, and soon after, I purchased a bulk load of chandelier crystals at the Chelsea Flea Market, imagining I’d turn them into dozens of flower-shaped pieces for paintings. But as much as I tried, it didn’t feel right. Most of those crystals ended up in a box in my basement, still waiting for their time.

Still, my fascination with chandeliers didn’t fade. I spent hours online and in person hunting for new materials to work with. That’s when I stumbled upon Murano glass chandeliers on Etsy—delicate, handcrafted flowers made from the famous Murano glass. I was so captivated by their beauty that I contacted vendors and managed to get my hands on the glass flowers directly. Suddenly, I had a whole collection of these stunning Murano glass flowers, just waiting to become part of my art. A lot of these flowers now adorn my Art About Nothing series and my Flower Girls collection.

 Some of the flowers weren’t quite as elegant as I’d hoped—they were frosted or dirty, so they sat in a drawer. One day, after tearing up a painting and scattering the pieces, I noticed how much the torn canvas resembled the backgrounds of Andy Warhol’s 1964 Flower Series—a series I had always admired. I remembered some of the classes I had taken from Adele Sypensten and knew I could take these scraps and collage them.

At that moment, it all clicked. The torn canvas, the glass flowers, and Warhol’s iconic work came together in my mind. I realized I could make a three-dimensional version of Warhol’s Flowers. Combining what I’d learned from Adele with my own creative instincts, I made my first prototype and immediately knew I was onto something. It was a fresh take, with vibrant colors, layered textures, and glass flowers that popped off the surface—much like Warhol’s bold style, but distinctly mine.

My tiny NYC studio was too small to create the large piece I had in mind, but when we moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, I finally had the space to bring my vision to life. I created Flowers for Andy, a large 48-inch square piece made up of 16 individual flower boxes. It’s a vibrant, 3D tribute to Warhol, using the same shapes and colors as his famous flower series but transformed into something entirely new through mixed media.

For now, Flowers for Andy hangs in my living room. It’s a piece I deeply love and am proud of. One day, it will find its perfect home with a collector who appreciates the blend of old and new, art and history, that this piece embodies. Until then, I’ll enjoy its sparkle and keep exploring new ways to merge the materials I love with the art I’m passionate about.