How are you seeing GREEN this year?

Thinking in summery shades of green makes me envision cool grass drizzling with morning dew, sunflower stems, sea glass on the beach in Old Orchard, Maine, or the plethora of vegetables that grace every table at the Farmers Market here in Minneapolis.  I most enjoy how sometimes grass can take on a whole new life of color and appear to have notes of  lime and yellow sprinkled within it .    Summertime is when mint and basil grow abundantly, unless my boyfriend Jacob gets his hands on the plants Its a time when you can enjoy Mojito’s with your girlfriends  and for some strange reason wheat grass shots  magically taste delicious!

Actually, as I type this I’m eating a freshly grown cucumber from my friends garden.  Its ripe with so many delicious shades of green melting from a rich outside skin of a spruce  to a inner world of pastel filled melon!  I can’t help but sprinkle some champagne vinegar, sea salt and pepper and begin to nom nom as we digest through the healing colors that are without a doubt the essence of summer!

SUMMER TIME GREENS

Summertime makes me think of  living at my grandparents house in Norway.  They had a beautiful view of the sky at night and you could catch the stars shooting over Norway Lake from their driveway. Sometimes I would just sit on the hood of  my Oldsmobile Cutlass Sierra and stare at the sky for hours.  My grandfather was a dedicated mower so the air would always smell of freshly cut grass.

PAINT.COLOR.INSPIRE

This year however, I’m loving summer greens that are slightly muted with blues that lean towards turquoise and soft gold or matte metallic gold.  Maybe its that the brighter combination seems almost too energetic or active for my current mellow mood or maybe these hues just appeal to my love of more sophisticated schemes.  Nature-based greens are a tranquil and refreshing and plus green makes a perfect ground color for balancing cool blues and and warm yellows or golds.  This gorgeous combination has been a seen on the runway and is perfectly Boho chic. ”
-Kate Smith

Green is a color that we can pull directly from nature!

It is a symbol of freshness and harmony among other things. I personally think of green as a very healing color taking cues from the magical powers of green tea and poets like Thoreau who chronicled the extraordinary powers of spending some time immersed in nature.

Green is a color of unity and peace.

Green is the most restful color on the human eye…a perfect color for a Yoga Studio, Home Office or babies room!  Now shall we enjoy some beauties…

Love this mixture of split pea meets avocado above? Why not give Benjamin Moore  in winding vines 532 in a glossy Satin Sheen a try!

AYIYI Melany Royals is magic! I love her peacock stencil fit with rich greens, dense browns and water like blues!

A super special thanks and welcome to Kate from Sensational Color for being our newest member of the Color Lusting Series! She also has a dynamite post about blues and greens that I think you will enjoy!

• Blue and Green @ Sensational Color
• ALL ABOUT THE COLOR GREEN

Also don’t forget to check out Drew’s latest color creations at the Minneapolis Institute of Fine Finishes Pera and his latest creation Jalapeno.

Jalapeno was a major hit at Hirshfield’s design Center. Jalapeno looks super Hot in a Venetian plaster and also in a iridescent Moire.

http://www.sundancergraphics.com

Is it just that time of year?  Where the work is plentiful and I’m such a busy little worker bee that something so important could just slip my mind?

I spoke with Erica as she was driving home from the event and she mentioned that she found  it to be  a bit disappointing.  She mentioned that the colors seemed really far out and that it was hard to visualize incorporating radical fuchsias into her Minnesota clients homes.  Perhaps she was just trying to make me feel better.

Regardless, I missed the event.  I’ll be hitting up Hirshfield’s to grab a color pulse book.  At least I’ll have that.  You can get one here:   http://www.benjaminmoore.com

Jake and I sat in bed last night as I shared my woes about missing the Color Pulse and he mentioned it just was not meant to be… Erica said the same…

He also mentioned that sometimes its god for these things to happen, because it opens your eyes, makes you work a little bit harder and perhaps inspires you to double check something which perhaps may have been looked over.

If it means anything I was having the time of my life during the Color Pulse last night.  My best friends and I were having dance practice at Janessa’s studio.  I remember thinking to myself, “I’m having such a great time” right around the time innovative color ideas were being shared.

and now for my point:

Sometimes, even when you may miss something you think is critical to your profession or to staying on point it can still be a blessing.  For me it was a hidden  blessing in a whole new light.  A chance to step away from my work, without feeling guilty, mostly because I was none the wiser, but that’s a part of what I needed in order to step away.  I would not have gone to be with my girlfriends if I had scheduled the event accordingly.  I would have missed precious and wonderful time with the girls that I adore  and make me a better person.  I feel renewed just being in there presence.

My main struggle in business is the WORK/LIFE Balance.

Last night life crept in and it was wonderful!!!  I would not change the evening for the world. NAMASTE.

I received this invitation and wanted to share it with all of you who may have an interest in attending the Benjamin Moore color forecast for 2010.  Its a great way to stay hip to the upcoming color trends, or find some new shades of your currently favorite hues.  I love color forecasts because they always get your creativity buzzing, and help re-inspire, and give a whole new shape to my career as a professional painter.  I’ll hope to see you there!!!!!!

Color Forecast 2010 ~ April 7, 2009 ~ 6-7 pm Seminar ~7-7:30 p.m. Reception

Presented by GMD and Benjamin Moore
Co-sponsored by FGI of Minneapolis/St. Paul

Doty Horn, Director of Color and Design for Benjamin Moore, will present Benjamin Moore’s panoramic view of color direction: Color Pulse 2010.

Location: Room 33, McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108.

Cost: Goldstein Museum Members $10, Non-Members $15, no charge for students.

RSVP: By Friday, April 3 to Barbara Porwit at 612.624.7434 or by email.

Money raised will be used to promote the programs of the Goldstein Museum of Design.

Click here to download a flier. For more information on this and other Goldstein programs, visit our website.