From art to aesthetics and self-care to skincare Jennifer Adell Efstathiou and Paul Efstathiou have perfected power couple vibes.
Photography by Andrea Carson
A Chat with Paul
SY: Tell us a bit about your background and how you became interested in contemporary art?
PE: Let’s take it back to the ’80s!
I am a second generation art dealer from New York. My father was an art dealer and owned a gallery on the Upper East Side in Manhattan during the late 70s and 1980s. Having an art dealer as a father meant the artworks in our house were constantly being rotated. I was exposed to high-caliber artworks at a very young age.
My father would take my brother Eric and I to museums and auction houses in NYC and we would even attend and help out at openings. We also visited artists in their studios, or artists would come over to my fathers place for small parties in his apartment. I remember having the most interesting conversations with artists as a child. All of these experiences led me to develop a well-trained eye and passion for the arts from a young age.
I have been art dealing for roughly 25 years, and at one point my brother and I started collecting contemporary art for ourselves and that led me to meeting contemporary artists. I had such a deep connection with many of the artists, not just through their artwork but I deeply connected with their ambition, intelligence, passion and commitment to doing what they love.
I curated my first group exhibition in 2016, which felt like a deep calling and was a huge success. I started a curatorial project with a focus on high quality contemporary art called Highlight Curated, and curated shows throughout New York City and Connecticut.
Then I was very honored to be hired by Hollis Taggart as Director of Contemporary five years ago.
SY: Who are some of the artists you are most excited about right now?
PE: There are so many artists that I am excited about now. Dana James, Osamu Kobayashi, Rachel MacFarlane, Devin Troy Strother and definitely all of the artists represented by Hollis Taggart as well as the other artists who we exhibit.
I am especially looking forward to seeing the new body of work Tim Kent is currently producing for his September solo show with the gallery. I am also excited about curating a selection of contemporary abstract female painters for our booth at the Armory Show this fall, where Hollis Taggart will be presenting contemporary work for the first time, alongside works from our historic division.
SY: How do you work with your clients day-to-day? Where are they mainly based or is it super diverse?
PE: The client base is definitely diverse. I meet clients through multiple ways. Physically at the gallery of course, at art openings, at art fairs, through friends and artists, art advisors, interior designers, events, digital platforms such as artsy and artnet, instagram and more. My goal is to build long-term relationships with as many of our clients as I can. I consider many of my collectors close friends, we share trust and love for the arts and culture.
SY: You are very involved in the arts here in Westport. What does that look like for you?
PE: Yes, I am involved in the Westport and in the Connecticut area but I would like and plan to do more! I am on the Board of Directors at MoCA Westport. During the deep COVID days, Hollis and I opened a gallery in Southport, CT and it had a great run for three years. I met so many amazing people and we sold works to clients mostly in the Westport, Southport, and Fairfield area. One of my goals is to do more pop exhibitions in the Fairfield County area including Westport.
SY: Are you seeing a shift in the art world here in FFC?
PE: Yes, I think people in FFC are becoming more and more seriously interested in the arts, and the quality and caliber of exhibitions in our local and regional museums is getting better and better. While NYC is of course the center of the art world, FFC has some world-class cultural programming with museums like the Aldrich, the Bruce and MOCA Westport organizing exhibitions that could just as well be in New York City.
A Chat with Jennifer
SY: You are one of the most sought-after aestheticians in Fairfield County, how did you get your start in the industry?
JE: Thank you. It’s an honor to have people’s trust. I got my start into the world of skincare by chance. Initially, I was pursuing a career in makeup and hair and working towards working in the film industry. While working as a makeup artist, I found myself bombarded with endless inquiries about skin care that I could not adequately address. This piqued my curiosity and led me to delve deeper into the subject. I made the decision to return to school to study esthetics and from that point on, I never turned back.
SY: What are you most passionate about in the skincare industry right now?
JE: Currently my greatest passion lies in finding the balance between self-care and skincare during hormonal changes that affect the skin. This includes addressing the unique challenges faced by girls/women in different stages of life, such as tweens and teens, post-pregnancy women, as well as women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. I am deeply interested in understanding their needs and helping them to maintain healthy and radiant skin while also reminding us all to be gentle with ourselves.
SY: In addition to your day-to-day role as an aesthetician you have become an influencer and content creator in your own right. What do you focus on in that space?
JE: As a content creator on social media, my main focus is to educate and share my personal interests on a daily basis. I find great joy in the freedom and flexibility that these platforms provide, as well as the ability to connect with a diverse and expansive audience. It brings me such satisfaction to be able to assist and support woman across different locations, whether it’s helping a woman in Arizona with her skincare via zoom or guiding a mother in developing a regime for her daughter struggling with acne, working with a group of tweens on ingredient education or countless woman relating to the menopause information I provide. It fills my cup. This work not only nourishes my own sense of fulfillment but also allows me to express my creativity by sharing content I’m passionate about.
SY: You fuse together various components in your work, truly integrating wellness practices into your facials. Tell us a bit about that.
JE: I completed a comprehensive four-year energy medicine program years ago that completely transformed my perspective on life and my interactions with others. What truly ignites my passion is the aspect of building connections. Establishing trust and creating a safe and supportive environment enables me to delve deeper into understanding individuals on a profound level. When I integrate wellness practices into facials, it may be energy work, gua sha, acupressure, massage. It involves being fully present with my clients and attuning myself to their unique needs. I firmly believe that this holistic approach merged with whatever else you are weaving in, is fundamental to skincare. You can absolutely provide a medium-depth peel and still have your client feel cared for, understood and leave feeling better than when they entered.
SY: What is your primary focus today at New Beauty & Wellness?
JE: At New Beauty & Wellness, my utmost priority is to create a serene and nurturing environment where women (and men) can have their needs fully met. Our team of highly skilled estheticians posses a remarkable talent for establishing genuine connections with our clients, which has resulted in a loyal and long-standing clientele. We are dedicated to preserving the health and well-being of the skin and working collaboratively with the medical team to enhance and support any corrective treatments that may be necessary. This partnership between esthetics and medical expertise is a beautiful union. My focus is to ensure we continue to thrive in this space, where each client feels their unique needs are being met with the utmost care and attention.