Viva Nanna Manning!

After being widowed in her early fifties my maternal grandmother, Nanna Manning, went to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico every summer to study painting, sculpture and jewelry design at the Institute of Art located in the heart of the village. Once my grandmother was too old to travel there on her own, my mother, brother and I made a couple of trips there with her, not for classes but just so she could savor the wonderful memories.

My junior year of college, while I was studying in Spain, Nanna Manning passed away. One of the few regrets I have in life is not flying home for her funeral. I suppose it was just too painful for me to travel all that way to bury someone I had been so close with. And maybe out of that regret has come the constant stream of inspiration I channel from her. There have been so many days when I just wished she were alive to share what I have been creating, and even collaborate.

Since her passing I had been longing to return to San Miguel, in honor of her and everything she passed on to me.

In May of 2007 my mother and I finally made our pilgrimage. I was quite anxious about the trip, worried for the rush of emotion that would flood my mother, and how hard that would be to see. I was clearly transferring all of the anxiety I had about my OWN flood of emotions on to my mother -- but I did not see this until I was 3 margaritas deep, sobbing to my Mom about how much I wished Nanny were with us.

As I am approaching my Spring line, and seeking inspiration, I felt it only appropriate to revisit the photos from my trip. These are just a few shots of some architectural details I found very pleasing. Hopefully you will too!

Viva Nanna Manning!