Rebecca A. Foster

Fabric ceiling in my study/library: Closet w/ vanity: Mural in Spanish Harlem (I think, not sure where it officially begins): George Washington Bridge: Boston:  Boston Public Library:  St. Patrick's Day in Boston:

My dad bought me my first book about wabi-sabi. I don't know how he knew about it or knew it would resonate with me, but he was my dad, so he just knew stuff. As I understand it, wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept of humility and acceptance of time and imperfection. It means accepting who you are in your soul. It means loving something because it is meaningful, and this makes it beautiful. It means that objects are beautiful when they aren't perfect or mass-produced, but when they develop character through age and use. Wabi-sabi is not shabby chic. Wabi-sabi isn't just decoration, it's the way you conduct yourself in your daily life. It means you are perfectly yourself and you don't wish to be anything else. It means you revere experience and humility. It means to live as simply as possible, so as not to clutter your mind or your heart or your home. For me, the goal of wabi-sabi is to love every space I am in. I often describe myself as a minimalist, but in re...