A giant thank you to my husband, my rock and my love, Andreas Dewitz, who I’m pretty sure has enjoyed the ride on the Lilla kooky train for the past 20 years. To my dear son Jacob for your kindness and wisdom beyond your years, and to my precious daughter Natasha for your lively creative mind and general loveliness. A huge thank you to my mother, Jacquelyn Rogers, the quintessential visionary who taught me the word “style” when I was a girl. To my sister, Joan Tennant, for your undying support over all these years, and to my father, Jon Rogers, the original out-of-the-box thinker. Friederike Dewitz, you are always game for creative fun and a source of technical craft know-how. To Sue Schiffer, my adored partner in crime in all things creative. You are always up for madcap fun and I couldn’t do it without you. To my ancestors who continue to support me from the other side: artist Aunt Micki Rosenthal who said, “Don’t worry—just make things!”; fashionista and entrepreneur Aunt Lillian Rosenblatt, creative mentor; Aunt Minette Katz, spiritual mentor.
An enormous thanks to my devoted, top-notch and hilarious Studio Ladies—Ashley Lorenz, Julia Parker, Susan McCabe, Jennifer Nelson, and Patty Kantlehner—who, because of my complete trust in their awesomeness, allowed me to write this book. To the artists I represent whose brilliance continues to inspire me daily, and who allowed me to use so much of their work in this book to illustrate what great art is all about.
To my Monday Morning Moms for your wisdom and humor and support of all my various nutty passions and showing me how to balance kids and work. To Jean Johanson for listening to my endless tales of career low- and high-lights while striding down Mass Ave together.
Mary Ann Hall, editor and enlightened one, thank you for convincing me to write this book. You were right, it was fun. Laura Putre, you made it enjoyable and easier; I relished our many Skypes.
To my dear Suzy Ultman for designing the cover; I knew if you designed it, I would love it and be proud. To the wise Winnie Prentiss and the lovely team at Quarry, thank you for letting me be a part of the Rockport family.
Tami Indra, you took a giant risk in Ruby Violet and you continue to make it inspiring. Lyda Langford, you are my Ruby creative muse.
To my sage elder ladies; Barbara O’Neal, you healed my creative wounds and showed me how to live the good life. We’re not technically related but I know that we are anyway. To Risa Dubin for your reminders to be more social and for big laughs at the coffee shop. To Linda Braun, wise neighbor, for all the times I ran across the street for an emergency dose of business therapy.
To Loretta Mull, who, in the ’70s, driving her pinky-beige 1950s DeSoto with flowers hanging from the mirror, picked up this forlorn little hippie girl in Oakland and became a lifelong friend.
Thank you, everybody. I love you all.