want | need | wear | read : HER

I asked a good ole' friend of mine to contribute for today's WNWR gift guide and she really hit the nail on the head.  Lauren Kennedy is one of the most stylish and graceful human beings I've ever known, plus she's super talented and wicked smart to boot.  By day she works for Ballet Memphis (which brought her to be included in the Memphis Flyer's 2014 edition of 20<30), and by, well, the rest of her life, she plays a leading role in the blossoming art scene in Memphis and beyond.  She runs and curates a gallery out of her own living room, Southfork (which has gotten amazing wonderful beautiful reviews recently, by the way), and recently co-curated Pandora's Children, a three-part feminist exhibition featuring regional and national artists, at the Clough Hanson Gallery at Rhodes College (Lauren's & my beloved alma mater).  For as long as I've known her (going on 10 years now, Lauren, can you believe it??), she has been passionate about lending her unique point of view to bring art to the masses.

Naturally, Lauren's WNWR list focuses on objects of beauty which are perfect for any woman in your life.  You can easily adjust Lauren's gift ideas to suit any special lady of your own, whether it be a great piece of art, a beautiful piece of jewelry, a classic piece of clothing she will wear forever, or a book to bring her inspiration for years to come. 

want:  Alex Paulus is a friend of mine and an artist whose work I enjoy a lot.  He was in a great show I put together at Southfork, and I've been wanting to keep one of his weirdo paintings for a while.  They're irreverent and smart in a dumb kind of way, and I love the colors and textures.  Plus, art has to make the best gift ever.

need:  I haven't bought a new coat in years and it is high time.  I love Zara in general because their pieces are always nice but still ultimately affordable.  I have been trying for years to retrain myself to save up a little and buy one nice thing instead of several crappy things, and Zara is usually a place where I can do that.  Figuring out something that somebody needs but hasn't been able to spend good money on themselves for whatever reason is always a great gift.  Plus, I just can't get enough of this color green.  I want it on everything.

wear:  I love this jewelry designer based out of my hometown of Dallas, F is for Frank.  I have one of their stingray rings and it is a piece that I wear all the time, and constantly get compliments on.  I have been looking at this necklace for months and am sure that I would wear it a lot.  All of their stuff is great.

read:  I have always been enamored with Louise Bourgeois, but have been thinking about her even more lately after seeing some of her work in DC this summer and being asked to be a part of this feminist show at Rhodes.  I would love to have a big, beautiful book of her work and writings to spend some time with.

Come back for our next WNWR gift guide, comin' atchya from a pretty fly guy & equally rad dad, my one and only Mr.