Quentin Jones: A Creative’s Guide To New York, Art & Collecting

The food scene in New York is so inspiring. On my doorstep, Clinton Hill and Fort Greene have some of the greats, from Roman's to Sailor to Theodora. I love Estela for immaculate mouthfuls in a very NYC tiny space, or Il Buco for a romantic but rustic dinner in a fancier corner of downtown.

The live music in this city is really motivating. Our neighbourhood is famous for block parties, with proper sound systems and kids and grown-ups dancing for hours.

When I feel like I need a boost, I love to run around Fort Greene Park listening to 00s hip-hop – or cycle over the bridge to meet my girlfriends for Thursday martinis in the Lower East Side.

If I need a break from the city, going upstate is my answer – hiking on or near the Catskills, or swimming in the lakes. There's something deeply restorative about it; it connects you to a sense of deep time, of all the millennia that came before. I find a view of mountains one of the most awe-inspiring things, especially as the sun goes down. You feel connected to the very different civilisations that have been there, all of whom must have felt the same thing: steadied by how small they are.

I used to collect antique Mickey Mouse objects. Another early antique purchase was the most beautiful architect's ruler, which extends to 30 feet when you pull out all the sections. It has held a slightly Duchamp-like presence in my home, always tipped into the corners of the tallest room. A found sculpture. 

The most meaningful pieces I have are drawings from my dad. He is an amazing artist and, professionally, a well-known architect. He drew all of us as kids, and we have those line drawings around the house. My grandfather was also a sculptor, and I have a very special wooden piece by him in my living room.

Recently, I found the most extraordinary relic from a French church. It’s a carved Christ on the cross, bleached almost colourless, encapsulated in a bubble of glass. Beautiful and deeply strange. It hangs next to a work of mine and a work by Ken Nevadomi. 

An artist you should know about is my dear friend Vanessa Garwood. She is an amazing painter who is really hitting her stride right now. Now would be a very clever time to buy her work. She takes on portrait commissions too, when time allows, and they are heaven.

The best places to look for vintage art or unusual objects are Etsy, 1stDibs, eBay and the thrift markets upstate, or when I am in France. If you know what you are looking for, eBay is almost always the best.

A little clichéd, but nothing beats Paris or the South of France for flea markets. I love to source antique lace and carved wooden bowls there. Easy to put in your suitcase, because shipping suddenly makes it not a good deal at all.

Tiwa Gallery, Jacqueline Sullivan and Lara Bjork are the places and people I trust. Lara might be my best friend, but she is a killer art advisor, grows seriously impressive private collections for her clients, and is always my first point of call for creative decisions.

The affordable purchases that have brought me the most joy are probably antique bed quilts that bring life to forgotten guest rooms, or old silk kimonos for looking mildly absurd in while putting the trash out.

The objects that tell the best stories are tapestries from my own brand. Each piece is built slowly as a collage in my studio, then turned into appliqué-quilted tapestries using antique silk saris. They are made with such love and attention through every step, and they really show all of that human touch and care when you hang them. Textural, imperfect, gorgeous and rich in the lineage and patina of the people who wore those silks before.

MoMA never disappoints. If it does, then art isn't for you. The same goes for Tate Modern, The Met and the National Portrait Gallery. I especially love the Met for its Grecian sculptures, or taking in the cool halls of The Frick on hot summer days and imagining I live there.

A recent exhibition I loved was Alex Katz at the Guggenheim last year. Epic, and so thoughtfully curated. Quite sad in its way, which you don't expect from Katz.

My good friend Anna Karlin does the most beautiful work creating dreamy, unusual lighting and furniture. None of it takes itself too seriously, but it is elegant and thoughtful in equal measure.

I have just finished Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. Excellent and deeply moving. For any woman who pretends to be tough, it will strike a chord.

I am a sucker for a museum library or bookstore. When I lived in London, it was the Tate Modern (before it became more of a gift shop), and now I love the MoMA Design Store. Nothing beats flipping pages and going home with new books on unfamiliar subjects.

The café I could happily spend an entire afternoon in is Good Thanks on the Lower East Side. Laid-back, fairly priced (which is something you come to really appreciate in this city) and delicious. You must order the curried chickpeas with eggs, with a perfect coffee.

Aside from home, my favourite place for a solo breakfast is Smør in Clinton Hill. When hungover, I can't resist their cheesy eggs with freshly baked rye bread. The best restaurant for long conversations is Altro Paradiso.

When friends visit New York, I take them to the cosiest, sweet Italian on my block called Locanda Vini & Olii, usually on night one, and that's a good start. On night two, I will take us to a classic martini bar like Long Island Bar in Brooklyn, then onto dancing in Bushwick if they have it in them. To finish them off, we might go for a Korean BBQ in Midtown on Sunday.

Dimes is a great place for people watching. It's full of pretty hipster kids. I also enjoy watching the older ladies on the Upper East Side, especially those with obnoxious facelifts.