Knowledge is Strength: Pantone's Color of the Year 2014, Radiant Orchid

It seems Pantone, the world-renowned authority on color, has surprised many in the industry with the selection of Radiant Orchid, 18-3224 as the upcoming Color of the Year. The PANTONE® name is known worldwide as the standard language for color communication from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer. Need a color to match exactly from one end of the globe to the other? Pick a Pantone color!

Last year's color Emerald served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity. This year's color Radiant Orchid is an invitation to innovation, expanded creativity and originality. Cheers to that!

Radiant Orchid is quite a unique color. At first I thought "Wow, where would I use that"? Perhaps a powder room, child or teen's room, as a small accent color...which surprises me because the last thing I ever want to feel is limited by color. I like to believe I can use color anywhere, at any time, depending on adjacent colors, what proportions have been used, and the values (lightness and darkness) or chroma (intensity of a color) used. So I started doing a little research and looking around for inspiration. Best thing to do whenever a road block starts creeping in!

I ran across this lovely view of famous designer Kelly Wearstler's office on Instagram today. Lo and behold, I see Radiant Orchid!

Gorgeous artwork! Pinterest/Jeannie Mills – Aboriginal Art Centre – Anaty 1105 “Bush Potato”

And of course, nature will always give you the most exquisite color findings.
Pinterest

 Pinterest

 I love this this room, the purple and orange combo, the ethnic vibe. It's fresh yet warm at the same time. Pinterest

 Ditto with this dining room! Pinterest

A little retro mod to balance out the selections. Pinterest

 How's this for a funky barn?! Pinterest

And of course, all I had to do was look above at my blog header to see a more saturated version of Radiant Orchid in this foyer I designed. In fact, I found two other rooms where I used versions of this year's Pantone color!

Not quite as unique and unusual an application as I had initially thought. How many other areas in your life can you bring in this type of questioning and conclusion? Challenge yourself. Knowledge is strength.

Later gators, Susan 

Nancy Mackenzie

Texture, fiber, found objects -- how could you not be totally in love with fiber artist Nancy Mackenzie's newest work at the Sticks and Stones show at Raymond Avenue Gallery in St. Paul, MN!  I have always been enthralled with textural work whether it be utilizing nature, handmade paper (I used as a medium to exhibit my Masters color theories), fabric, fiber, felting, etc.  This last exhibit of Nancy's however, is really hitting home for me!  If you are not familiar with Nancy, she is an internationally recognized fiber artist creating wall mounted sculptures and wearable art.  Nancy's work has been exhibited, and in permanent collections, across the country, Asia, Latin America and Tokyo.

I love the simplicity, yet chaotic nature of Nancy's wall and table pieces for this show.  I find both the simple and complex elements in each piece so delicately balanced.  The airy sculptures are made of willow, apple, waxed linen thread, Japanese paper, and apple bark.  The 2D media of the computer does not give due credit to the wonderful 3D aspects of each piece, so an in person appreciation is definitely advised.  The show only goes until June 29th, so hurry and check it out!!  You will be truly captivated!

If Nancy's last name, Mackenzie, sounds familiar to you, she is also known as the wife of internationally recognized potter Warren Mackenzie with hundreds of solo exhibitions and permanent collections in Tokyo, the Metropolitan, Smithsonian, Victoria and Albert, and many more.  Nancy and Warren reside locally in Stillwater, MN.

LIVE WITH ART!!! 

Susan

Yin Yang - Nature and Design

Being in the design world, this picture speaks worlds to me. The integration of nature and manmade objects, which was actually my Masters thesis, is such a crucial part of design.  However, not only is it important in nature and design, but also within the many layers and levels of our daily lives. Living beside other elements and life forms, and not in lieu of, is vital for balance, unity, and peace. Just like the Yin Yang symbol, which I often refer to while explaining my design decisions to clients:

"Ying Yang is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn". "Yin yang are not opposing forces (dualities), but complementary opposites, unseen (hidden, feminine) and seen (manifest, masculine), that interact within a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects as light cannot exist without darkness and vice-versa, but either of these aspects may manifest more strongly in particular objects, and may ebb or flow over time."

Obviously, nature and design is an easier contradiction to attend to than more personal clashes, but you need to start somewhere!  Can you live in peace with your opposites???

Many thoughts ahead, Susan