One Thing Leads to Another
Tanzania → Ricardo → Xala → Lighthouse → Gonzalo → Sonoma
I love the way breadcrumbs lead the way.
One thing leads to another, and I find myself guided to beautiful, authentically unique people, places, art, and objects in the most unexpected ways when I'm present, curious, and paying attention.
The commissioned painting by Gonzalo Lebrija for our Sonoma project was the result of a trip I took a few years ago to Tanzania.
When my sister, Ann Shippy, told me she was going to Tanzania to witness the Great Migration, I immediately wanted to join her. Our mother, now ninety-five, often spoke of seeing the migration as one of the great highlights of her life. The opportunity to share a similar experience with my sister felt important.
Balloon ride over the Serengetti with sister, Ann
I met many extraordinary people on that trip, including Ricardo Santa Cruz.
Ricardo is one of those people who seems genuinely aligned with what he is creating. Bright-eyed, good-natured, and purposeful, he spoke about Xala, the coastal community he has spent years bringing to life on the Pacific coast of Mexico.
I was intrigued enough to look it up when I returned home.
And yes—it is a special place
The architecture, landscape, and art all felt thoughtfully intertwined, but what especially caught my attention was a lighthouse designed by Gonzalo Lebrija. It carried the same feeling I am always searching for—simplicity paired with depth. I was drawn to the way it held light and space, and to the relationship between proportion, geometry, and landscape. The structure felt both elemental and intentional, ancient and contemporary at the same time. Subtle references to sacred geometry seemed woven throughout. Curious to learn more, I began looking into Gonzalo's artwork.
His Prism paintings and Dormir photographs felt right for a Sonoma project we had recently begun.
The Dormir photographs, which depict the artist resting in locations throughout Mexico, carried a strong sense of place and humanity. The clients responded immediately.
Dormir series photographs in the Library/Office
One painting from his Prism series felt especially perfect, but the available works were either too large or too small for the space we had in mind. The room itself presented another challenge. The Saltillo tile floors are a strong and beautiful presence, so we wanted to move away from those colors and create something that would feel balanced within the room.
That conversation ultimately led to a commissioned painting, developed specifically for the project in collaboration with the artist.
These are the moments I love most.
A trip taken for one reason leads to a conversation. A conversation leads to a place. A place leads to an artist. An artist leads to a commission.
Looking back, the path seems obvious.
At the time, it felt like following one small breadcrumb after another.
Postscript
The highlight of the entire Tanzania journey was a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti.
Watching the landscape emerge with the first light of day while herds moved silently below was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.
If you ever have the opportunity, say yes.
— Laura