San Francisco Decorator Showcase
I went to San Francisco University High School in the late ’80s and spent some of my community service hours as a docent at the Decorator Showcase. Each year, the Showcase raises money for student financial assistance by inviting designers to transform a different house, room by room. Back then, my role was simple: stand in beautifully designed spaces, make sure nothing got touched, and answer questions after a quick briefing.
With two hours at a time, there was plenty of space to really look. I studied the details, watched how people moved through the rooms, and was never bored, even when my feet were aching in heels borrowed from my mom.
UHS is also where I took my first photography class. At the time, I had no idea it would set the course for my career, or that interiors would become such a big part of how I tell stories through images.
Last year, I returned, this time as the photographer, to document the house before its transformation and each room as it came to life. Watching designers shape the spaces and then photographing them felt full circle, a way for me to give back through my own work.