Just as an artist sees a blank canvas just wanting to become a masterpiece, I see each client like a canvas just waiting to become more fully self-expressed. The tools I bring along are simply the wide-eyed curiosity of a five-year old, and my proven strategy for seeing your full potential.
All of this became even clearer to me last weekend when visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the De Young Museum, where exhibitions featuring the prolific Stein Family collection and Picasso, respectively, are currently on display. The Stein Family themselves were visionary collectors and friends of Picasso and Henri Matisse.
While viewing the Stein Family collection, I was struck with revelations that left me emotionally excited about my work, and so thrilled to turn out results with my clients that reflect my ability to help them see their full potential.
One painting that got my attention for quite some time was a portrait of Gertrude Stein, which was painted by Picasso. The story 
about the painting is that she sat for him – an unusual practice for Picasso – and he made numerous revisions to it over a long period. When Picasso finally presented the painting to Stein, she said to him, “But it doesn’t look like me at all,” to which he replied, “Don’t worry, you will look like it.”
In looking at this portrait for a long time, and thinking about the whole story, I had to laugh. I ended up thinking that Gertrude Stein may not have been a “looker” herself, but she sure had vision!
For his part, Picasso had the ability to see the future of his subject, by painting her as she would become. It’s a great example that behind every person’s façade is an exceptional story.
My other favorite piece is the very colorful Matisse painting “La Femme Au Chapeau” [The Woman With A Hat]. I love the story about this piece as much as any Impressionist artwork. The woman in the painting was Matisse’s wife, and she typically wore typical black clothing and a hat. But when you look at the painting, you’ll notice that it’s amazingly colorful, with not a brush stroke of black to be found. It seems that Matisse just painted what he “saw,” painting beyond the obvious. This revolutionary way of painting turned the art world on its side a century ago. Today, this style not only seems normal, but it may not even appeal as a modern style.
This painting puts tears of joy to my eyes and fills my soul with happiness. Matisse painted just as I work to create: with a vision.
I have been working with a wonderful client during this time, who happens to be a teenager. She’s getting the gift of a lifetime from her parents by working with me at this point in her life. She’s like one of those Picasso or Matisse canvases on exhibit, full of promise to live a great life up to her full potential. I have been working with her not just to provide her with her first set of grown-up clothes, but to help her know how to communicate with them, and with her body, and how to give confident voice and expression to her style and goals.
I have been able to “push her buttons” and expand her mindset so that she’s dressing more like she’s envisioned in her mind, even if she couldn’t “see” how it would all come together in reality. This is what I do for clients of all ages.
Now, I’m no Picasso, and certainly no Matisse. But when you get complimented about how you got to look your best, you can always say you got some artistic love from a guy named Rosenfeld!
Joseph Rosenfeld helps high-profile individuals revitalize, manage, and be secure in their personal visual brand. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.
