Anna Marie Tendler (born June 9, 1985, in Bethel, Connecticut) is an American multidisciplinary artist, memoirist, and designer. Her work spans self-portrait photography, handcrafted Victorian lampshades, beauty writing, and emotionally honest narrative. Tendler’s art and story reflect themes of mental health, grief, female identity, healing, and creative rebirth, establishing her as a distinctive contemporary voice and creative presence.
🎓 Education & Formative Years
Anna’s creative foundation is rooted in both vocational training and academic exploration:
- 2003–2005: Trained in hairstyling at Vidal Sassoon Academy and makeup artistry at Make‑Up Designory in New York City.
- 2006: Briefly studied photography at Parsons School of Design.
- 2007–2011: Earned a BA in Writing & Psychology from The New School, combining art and introspection.
- 2021: Graduated with an MA in Costume Studies from NYU Steinhardt. Her thesis, The Lip Filler Phenomenon: Modern Medicine, Kylie Jenner, and Post‑Feminist Female Sexuality, explored the cultural dimensions of beauty trends.
This blend of technical skill, academic insight, and personal reflection shapes her layered and meaningful approach to art.
💄 From Tumblr Beauty Blog to Broadway
In December 2007, Anna launched a Tumblr beauty blog that quickly attracted over 350,000 followers, posting daily makeup tutorials with a vintage flair and playful tone.
She transitioned to publishing with:
- The Daily Face (2014)
- Pin It! (2015): A guide to creative hairstyles using everyday tools
She also applied her talents behind the scenes on productions including John Mulaney: New in Town, Oh, Hello on Broadway, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812—earning a reputation for theatrical beauty artistry and emotional styling that resonates in all her work today.
🕯️ The Silk Parlor: Elevating Domestic Objects
In 2016, Tendler launched The Silk Parlor, a boutique specializing in handcrafted Victorian-style lampshades made from antique fabrics, lace, fringe, and trim. These detailed pieces, which range from $1,000 to $1,500, are created with patience and precision (taking anywhere from 10 to over 100 hours), transforming domestic objects into feminist artful statements.
Each lampshade reflects themes of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and feminine labor—turning everyday lighting into meaningful installations.
📸 Rooms in the First House & The House of Self
During early 2021, following a personal crisis, Tendler began capturing self-portrait photography in her Connecticut home entitled Rooms in the First House. The work explores:
- Victorian-inspired aesthetics
- Frames of grief and intimacy illuminated with candlelight
- Quiet, transitional moments that echo renewal
This series debuted at The Other Art Fair in Santa Monica (September 2021) and evolved into her interactive art booth, The House of Self, featured in later fairs in 2022 and 2025. Reviewers described the series as “a visual elegy for the self that must die for another to emerge.”
📘 Men Have Called Her Crazy — A Memoir of Healing
Written between 2022 and 2024, her memoir chronicles:
- Early 2021 psychiatric hospitalization
- Struggles with anxiety, depression, disordered eating
- Deep emotional ties to her dog, Petunia
- Her creative journey through writing and art as healing practice
Published on August 13, 2024, by Simon & Schuster, the memoir debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, praised for its emotional clarity, poetic restraint, and empathy rather than sensationalism.
❤️ Personal Life & Connecticut Sanctuary
Below is a timeline of important personal moments:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Married comedian John Mulaney (July 5) |
| 2020 | Moved to Connecticut with her dog Petunia during a mental-health crisis |
| Early 2021 | Hospitalized for depression and self-harm ideation |
| April 2021 | Petunia passed away |
| May 2021 | Separated from John Mulaney |
| January 2022 | Divorce finalized |
| 2022–Present | Resides in a renovated 1930s Connecticut home with cats Chimney, Moon, and Butter |
Tendler’s Connecticut home, often described as a “haunted dollhouse,” serves as both studio and sanctuary—a place for quiet ritual, floral decoration, candlelight, and self-care with her chosen feline companions.
🏡 Art Exhibitions & Portrait Booths
Following her initial series in 2021, Anna revived and expanded her interactive portrait series:
| Location | Dates | Program | Portrait Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica | Sep 2021 onward | Rooms in the First House exhibition | Not applicable |
| Los Angeles | 2022 | Launch of House of Self Portrait Booth | Event-specific |
| Chicago | Mar 27–30, 2025 | Portraits in the First House booth | $250–$350 |
| Brooklyn | May 8–11, 2025 | Interactive portrait sessions | $250–$350 |
These immersive portrait booths allow intimate, styled art experiences within curated domestic scenes.
💰 Net Worth
Anna’s diversified creative career—ranging from lampshade design and beauty writing to photography and memoir—has built an estimated net worth of $5 million as of March 2024. Earlier appraisals (2021) estimated her worth between $400K and $600K, primarily from crafts and early writing efforts. The memoir’s success and expanded exhibitions significantly increased her valuation.
Common Queries & Quick Answers
- What is Anna Marie Tendler’s net worth? → About $5 million
- What is Men Have Called Her Crazy about? → A memoir about mental health, grief, and creative rebirth
- Does she still make lampshades? → Yes—The Silk Parlor continues producing bespoke lampshades
- Where has she exhibited her photography? → Featured at The Other Art Fair and through her interactive portrait booths
- What are her cats’ names? → Chimney, Moon, and Butter
📌 FAQs
Who is Anna Marie Tendler?
Anna Marie Tendler is a visual artist, writer, and designer recognized for her emotionally resonant photography, narrative memoir, and handcrafted vintage lampshades.
How did she become public?
She gained prominence in 2007 via a well-followed Tumblr beauty blog. She later authored makeup books and became a Broadway makeup artist.
What is her memoir about?
Published in August 2024, Men Have Called Her Crazy chronicles her journey through mental-health challenges and emotional recovery, debuting at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list.
What art does she create?
Anna creates Victorian-inspired lampshades under The Silk Parlor and self-portrait photography series including Rooms in the First House and interactive portrait booths.
Where does she live now?
She resides in a renovated 1930s home in rural Connecticut, living with her cats.
What is her net worth?
Estimated at approximately $5 million (2024), reflecting her creative entrepreneurship.
💡 Final Thoughts
Anna Marie Tendler’s journey from makeup artist and blogger to bestselling author and visual artist reflects a profound evolution of self-expression and emotional reckoning. Her layered craft—across textile work, photography, and written narrative—shows a commitment to turning vulnerability into beauty.
Her work invites reflection on grief, domestic rituals, and the quiet power of rebuilding what was lost. Through each lampshade, portrait, and page, Tendler demonstrates that the ordinary can be extraordinary—and that healing can itself become art.
🔗 Explore her world: annamarietendler.com
📘 Get her memoir: Men Have Called Her Crazy (August 13, 2024)
🕯️ Shop her lampshades: via The Silk Parlor
📷 Follow her art: Instagram @annamtendler (~295K followers)
