Look, it's Alexandra Shulman in her Vogue office. This photograph, taken by the lovely, talented and very entertaining (OK, I know him) Mark Harrison, has just been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery for its Photographic Collection. Office envy can get the better of a woman, so rather than let this ill feeling fester, I'm wondering if Alexandra Shulman could just send the latest cohort of Condé Nast interns round to That's Not My Age Mansions to help me tidy up.
For a while now, I've been thinking that that things are getting out of control. Having a portfolio career basically means having three jobs, and no spare time. And a very messy home. Mr TNMA recently asked if I could actually see the magazine skyscrapers that are gradually turning the place into a David Mach-style installation. Or could they possibly only be visible to him? I think he's worried that all my compulsive hoarding will lead to us both being buried alive beneath a mountain of old newspapers. To be discovered in three-years time when the rancid stench gets the better of one of our neighbours. So I've promised that on my next day off, there will be a major de-cluttering session.
Once I've sorted out the Christmas presents:
What does your office look like? And do you think the National Portrait Gallery might be interested in my photos?
Mark Harrison is with Lucid Representation
You are just creative and inspired by many things, not messy!! My own office is spartan, as we have a rather tiny home. But my hard drive, well . . . .
ReplyDeleteOMG! your in-trays would give me a heart attack.I'm a little obsessive about organizing; I'm get palpitations just looking at your images ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou might like to visit : chez larsson.
ReplyDeleteIt is all about organizing ; )
You are making me laugh again. My office is neat and untidy in waves. Depends on what is happening in life. Xxxx
ReplyDeletetidying is for the Festive Season - until let those in-trays runneth over! xx
ReplyDeleteI would love this to be my office. Looks great! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteXX Hilary
http://thehippinista.blogspot.com/
Mine is quite organised, mess gives me an aneurysm, I can't do anything unless everything is tidy.
ReplyDeleteOh I just went to the Haunch of Venison exhibition, utterly brilliant - that Pope, Auerbach!
ReplyDeleteScrub that, I think I was at another HOV exhibition yesterday!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to think of yourself as not messy, merely inspired by many things. If so, I'm a lightning rod of inspiration. My poor husband tolerates it as best he can, considering he is a neat freak. For me, de-cluttering is just a concept. Although I can usually lay my hand on anything I want (eventually.)
ReplyDeleteLet's just say I'm glad my office has a door . . . And in my defense, I do manage to get quite a bit done in it, and I generally can find what I need. . . But it ain't pretty!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realised but I, too, have a portfolio career - thanks for the new job title! my office is full of all my stuff plus everybody else's not really wanted stuff. I dream of 'zones' where I would write or draw or design. instead I seem to have a pile or bag for each project
ReplyDeletePatti & Rosemary - creative not messy, is my new mantra!
ReplyDeletematerfamilias - oh yes, I'm very focused. I can ignore all the clutter and get on with my work - though finding stuff can be a bit frustrating at times.
projectforty - my office is also the spare room, so I have the ironing board to contend with. But I just see it as another surface to pile paperwork on!
Ha. We both share the dining table and sweep everything off it whenever it's needed. I want to rummage in your christmas shopping bags!
ReplyDeleteI'm ridiculously pleased to have stumbled across your blog from Tasia's. I look forward to reading your back log. :)
ReplyDeleteI like to think I live in an organised chaos.....well I know where most things are.....culling and getting rid of stuff is very cathartic though and is often surprisingly freeing!!
ReplyDeleteWhat, pray tell, is a "portfolio career?" Is that the same as what we in the US call free-lancing?
ReplyDeleteMy office looks like moving day - because that's what it is...
ReplyDeleteBut I can tell you this fun fact, that today we are moving out of Mark Harrison's old house - he lived here before us and we got his post for ages - including his editorial magazine copies of Tatler... am very impressed that he's had a photo taken into the National Portrait Gallery!
LPC - it basically means doing several jobs at once. So I work three days a week and freelance, and blog.
ReplyDeleteSparx - ooh small world. I remember when Mark lived in Brixton - I'll tell him you've got his magazines!
I am glad LPC about the meaning of "portfolio career" so I don't have to :).
ReplyDeleteYour office looks like an interesting one to me but I understand about wanting to get organized. Don't come to my office though, it is over-the-top organized. Clutter depresses me so I stay right on top of it.
I like the color variations used in Shulman's office, especially the colors of the books on the shelves. Having a clean and organized office is definitely beneficial! Some people's offices are full of cabinets and organizers to keep their spaces tidy. That is evident in Shulman's and your office. :)
ReplyDeleteBlake Mitchell