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Women To Watch: Trend Tracker® With Olatz Schnabel

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - For this edition of Women To Watch, Trend Tracker® Tara Gilani tracked down multi-talented, multi-faceted Olatz Schnabel.

The two met up at the NSU Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale.

Model, muse, mother, artist, designer, filmmaker, Olatz Schnabel is successful at everything, all while making it look effortless.

Especially being the former wife of famous painter Julian Schnabel.  They are divorced but still wonderfully close, as evidenced at the opening of a very special exhibit at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

Olatz Schnabel gifted the museum a special painting, called "Portarit of Olatz," a masterpiece by Julian Schnabel.

"I love the museum and I love Bonnie, she's a really good friend, I love always the idea of gift painting to a museum, I think it's a great thing to do."

The exhibit at the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale features her portrait and four other works she owns, all painted ex-husband Julian Schnabel.

CLICK HERE to watch Tara Gilani's report

"It's a family connection. A lot of years having this deep relationship . It's very intimate what is happening here," said Olatz Schnabel.

Her ex weighed in.

"It's interesting if you can get past the thing where you know you're not married any more, you don't live together, you have different lives, but you love somebody and things happened. I thought this was an opportunity to say to her: You know I think you're great, I wanted to honor her so that's kind of what I did," said Julian Schnabel.

The artist's muse is an artist in her own right. Everything she designs, interiors, linens and pajamas, are beautiful & meticulous.

Also in production: A powerful film with collaborator & friend, writer Miguel Sirgado.

"I'm working on a documentary about Cuba that is almost done. It's been a long process because it's not easy to work with a country with so many limitations. We are almost done."

Born in Spain, Olatz Schnabel is based mainly in New York but she travels the world.

"Traveling is to me the most inspiring as a designer. When you stay too long in the same place it becomes black and white. The moment I go away I start seeing things and that for me is always inspiration."

"When are you your absolute happiest," asked Tara.

"Traveling. I'm very happy also when I'm creating. I love being able to escape, it opens my eyes and inspires me."

Her good energy, Gilani finds, is contagious.

"I like to enjoy life, I love to laugh, I love to love, I love to have fun, I love to be creative, I love to be free."

Olatz Schnabel, from the heart, answered the Trend Tracker®'s round of questions: I am, "here," I want, "too many things," I will, "have fun," I won't, "not have fun," I wish, "for happiness not only mine but happiness in general," I promise, "that what I say I promise is true."

For more on Olatz Schnabel, log on to her website:  www.olatz.com. Follow her on instagram at @olatzschnabel & twitter at @OlatzSchnabel.

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