Adore December 2020

ones, Jim was able to create sizable gallery-like "rooms" for his large-scale paintings, sculptures, and objets d'art. As he explains, "I wanted wide, open spaces to hold my art and enough room to be able to stand back to look at it." The plan works perfectly. In one living room flanking the hall, the collection includes a deeply-hued study of a man's head by Robert Gordy, an early work by Ida Kohlmeyer, and a landscape painting by Elemore Morgan, Jr. It's clear that Jim has a sense of whimsy and a love for color. A kinetic sculpture by Lin Emery and a small Hunt Slonem bunny sit near a sofa, and there's even a little beaded purse by Ashley Longshore perched among the pillows. Across the hall, a dramatic triptych by Deborah Kass of Barbra Streisand dressed as Yentl commands attention. This painting ignites so much conversation about the intersection of culture and celebrity, strong women and gender, and just plain old fun chat about all things "Babs". What I love to do when I am at Jim's is to sit on one sofa as I gaze around

the spaces before moving to another to do just the same from a different point of view.

Bently continues the holiday décor and flourishes throughout the house with glittery stars, gold foliage, and lighted trees popping up here and there. In the rear of the home, there are two dens that look out to a nice sized outdoor space that sees its share of at-home entertaining. One room is covered with a celebratory grid of colorful paintings that Jim bought over 30 years ago and is decorated with bowls and sconces by sculptor Mitchell Gaudet. Another holds a second Christmas tree and an art piece titled Jackie O, by filmmaker John Waters, that sparks lots of interesting discourse while we're on the subject of strong women. The outdoor patio and courtyard, bursting with energetic pops of bright green, is about as happy and cheerful as it gets. Filled with comfortable seating, indoor and outdoor rugs, and lots of fun lighting, it's definitely the place to be at the cocktail hour. And the whimsical, fantastical birds

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ADORE • DECEMBER 2020