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Collecting is a way of seeing. It’s not about amassing things—it’s about paying attention. When we collect, we commit to understanding a particular set of objects more deeply. We learn the histories, the traditions, the makers, the materials. We begin to recognize patterns and value nuance. The act of collecting is, in itself, a form of care—of connection. It turns objects into relationships

Some collections are inherited, others are self-directed. I began collecting paperweights because my grandmother chose that collection for me. She believed that they were perfect things: small, complete, and beautiful and gifted me my first one for my sixth or seventh birthday. Over time, I came to see them not just as decorative, but as optical instruments—portals of perspective. My collection of blue and white ceramics, on the other hand, started on its own. I was drawn to them intuitively. Over time, I learned about their global lineage—Chinese porcelain, Dutch Delftware, Mexican Talavera—and how this single color palette speaks across continents and centuries.

Every collection is a kind of atlas: of where we’ve been, what we’ve seen, what we’ve noticed. They reflect the mind and the spirit as much as the eye. To collect is to map the world through fascination. It’s a practice of devotion—not just to the objects themselves, but to what they represent: memory, wonder, learning, and love.
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• Start your collection by considering the following:
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  • What draws your eye again and again?
    Pay attention to what you notice—not what’s valuable, but what’s meaningful to you.
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  • Start with one.
    A collection doesn’t begin with volume. It starts with curiosity. Let one object lead you to the next.
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  • Learn the backstory.
    Who made it? Where? Why? Understanding the context deepens the connection.
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  • Let the collection reflect you.
    Your collections will become a kind of portrait over time—of your values, your travels, your aesthetics, your questions.
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  • Make the objects part of your day-to-day.
    Display them. Use them. Tell the stories of them. Living with your collection brings it to life—and gives it even more meaning.

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