Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/779424
8 letter editor STEVEN VISNEAU, SISTERBROTHER MGMT. N o one else looked like her, spoke like her, wrote like her, or was so original in the way she did things," said Senator Edward M. Kennedy during the funeral mass for former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. "No one we knew ever had a better sense of self." Like many, I've long idolized the Queen of Camelot — and thrill that she was a guiding inspiration for this issue. Of course, I admire Jackie for her style, but more so for the lesser-known parts of her character: She was a perfectionist with unswerving self discipline; The New York Times once referred to her as "Doubleday's secret weapon," after she became a suc- cessful book editor following the assassination of her husband; and her intense regard for history led her to preserve some of our country's most recognizable monuments, from Lafayette Square to Grand Central Station. This month is very much dedicated to The Originals — those rare people, like Jackie, who combine their unwavering passion and intellect to build legacies. Take Anna Katherine Brodbeck, the Dallas Museum of Art's new assistant curator of contemporary art, and Ruth Reinhardt, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's new assistant conductor, for example. New to Dallas, these hard-working young women hold two of the most demanding positions in the Dallas art world, and will no doubt make tremendous impact on the arts as their careers continue to blossom. Then there is the remarkable Houston philanthropist, Becca Cason Thrash, who I spent much time talking with in order to understand the tremendous amount of work she is pouring into her upcoming Liaisons au Louvre IV, the multi-million-dollar fund-raiser she has held three times prior at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. Come June, Thrash will boldly host not one — but two — European fundraisers, all in one week. First, Liaisons au Louvre in Paris, followed by La Dolce Vita in Venice a few days later. Funds raised by the weeklong event will be split evenly between the American and International Friends of the Louvre, and for the first time, Venetian Heritage. Only Thrash, with her enviable energy, intelligence and connections could dream up such an extraordinary plan and execute it with aplomb, all to ensure that some of our world's most historic destinations are restored and maintained — as they should be. Of all the Originals chronicled in this issue, Loyd Taylor's story pulls most at the heartstrings. Taylor recently finished redecorating his house, after the death of his longtime life and work partner, Paxton Gremillion. His is a story about living after loss. For the talented decorator and antiquarian, a vital part of this process involved creating a joyful place that was uniquely his, with a few cherished items that recall his life with Gremillion. It is a beautiful lesson in deepening one's sense of self — certainly something Jackie knew all too much about. Christina Geyer Dallas Editor in Chief christina@papercitymag.com