PaperCity Magazine

October 2014 - Houston

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OCTOBER | PAGE 72 | 2014 "WHEN YOU ARE CONNECTED TO A PLACE IN A SPIRITUAL WAY, THE DESIRE TO RETURN NEVER REALLY LEAVES YOU. I AM MARFA." — James M. Scott a production of Hairspray: The Musical. Over three days, we entertained almost 1,000 audience members. The cast was filled with some of the most talented teenagers in Houston, and it was the biggest set I had ever built. We just wrapped up auditions for next year's company, and now I am tasked with finding the best material to produce that will suit a diverse group of students. My students are everything to me. I never thought I would be so emotionally invested in their success, but it makes my life. Sometimes their talent is absolutely terrifying. To be so talented and so young! It's a blessing to have the opportunity to guide and mold that talent. On an average day, I not only teach them in class, but I deal with making sure they are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, listen to their problems, help with homework, work with their parents … The list goes on. Listening to teenagers is the most important lesson I have learned. If they know that you are invested in their success and well-being, they will do anything for you. Their knowledge of the world is the thing that surprises me the most. Because teenagers are globally connected because of modern technology, they are far more advanced and knowledgeable than I ever was at their age. Decorating style. I have no particular style. I love anything old that looks like it came out of an abandoned natural history museum. It must tell a story. I believe that objects carry their life stories with them and if you listen carefully, they will tell you those stories. Favorite find for your place. It's actually not a find. I have a watch that my great grandfather won for selling the most cars in the early 1900s. He gave it to my grandfather, and my grandfather gave it to me. The face is in the shape of the front grill of a vintage car. The leather band has long since rotted away, but It still winds. Sometimes I will wind it up so that I can hear the same ticking that generations of my family have listened to. It's a great physical connection to my past. What's growing in your gardens? Gardening in Houston is tough! Bugs, mold, squirrels … I've been gardening all my life, but gardening in the city poses all kinds of different challenges. This year's garden has been the most successful yet. I have a beautiful herb garden that we use for cooking and as ingredients for homemade soap and gifts. Brian and his mother have created a beautiful flower cutting garden that includes zinnias grown from seed that came from his home town in Arkansas. I have some serious tomatoes coming in as well. This was the first year the garden has ever had strawberries and I think that will be a permanent addition. Home-grown strawberries are like sunshine and rainbows in one unforgettable bite. A few words about Brian and how he has impacted you personally. Brian changed my entire life. I would be in a completely different place if the universe hadn't thrust us together. He has taught me to be more patient, more giving and he has taught me the importance/joy of keeping a neat and tidy house. He has inspired me to return to my creative roots and encourages me to try new things and take on new challenges. He has been by my side through graduate school, teaching school, career changes and more. His meticulous eye for design has made me a more discerning collector. I see things through different eyes because of him. He is my rock, my partner, my soul mate and my husband. He makes me a more complete and dynamic person. He is the lyrics to my music. Brian Neal Sensabaugh, 39, Anthropologie's senior display coordinator In the beginning. I was born and raised in rural Arkansas, in a very small town called Morrilton. It was a very conservative environment, in which being gay and different was a constant struggle. Art and creating provided a personal escape. These early artistic connections enabled me to survive. Luckily, my mother moved us to Texas when I was in the eighth grade. I studied art throughout high school and went on to major in art in college. Your move to Dallas and its impact on you. The city opened my eyes to people, places and things I had never been exposed to. It was an extreme period of personal growth in discovering my identity. How your art degree helped your career. I have a bachelor of arts from Austin College in Sherman, Texas. During my college art career, I started to transform my love of collecting things into visual installations in my artwork. This built the foundation for what I do professionally today. My professor and mentor, Mark Monroe, used found objects in his art installations and was a big influence. Clockwise from above: Globe half-mirror bulbs from Light Bulbs Unlimited. Cuckoo clock belonged to Scott's grandmother. Fifteen years of Chinese fortunes collected in a vintage blue glass Ball mason jar. Scott's vintage Admiral Record Player and vinyl collection. Impressionistic paper collage, 1963. Sensabaugh's doll collection dates back to his childhood. Vintage taxidermy-turtle art assemblage by Sensabaugh, 2006. Vintage Marx dollhouse. Brian Neal Sensabaugh James M. Scott Living room walls painted Silvered Glass by Ralph Lauren. Old church sign above fireplace from Chippendale Eastlake Antiques in the Heights. Vintage taxidermy ring-tailed lemur, one of many such pieces in the house. Vintage barware. Mixed-media collage by Chad Landry. Vintage lamp from The Guild Shop.

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