Wendy Rea by Pedro Menocal
Pedro Menocal, Cuban-born portraitist to high society (and their horses), was in London in 1972 when he did Mother’s portrait (featured on the cover of Chanel). He had done our, by then ,ex-stepbrother’s and ex-stepsisters’ portraits in New York so Mother had him do ours as well — me at twelve and Robbie at eleven. It was during the phase between my stepfather Oliver Rea and Mother when they were happily living apart but kind of falling in love all over again. Mother sent a note to The American School and told them Robbie and I were to be called Wendy and Robin Rea in an effort to further lock her self in with Oliver. I supposed having our portraits done by the same artist who had done our stepfather’s other children was another way of strengthening the bond. I would be officially known as Wendy Rea until I was twenty and changed my name back.
