In a word, “Magical”!

My NYC trip couldn’t have been more “Perfect”! Not only was it so much fun that it has taken me this long to catch my breath, but I made so many new friends and reconnected with so many wonderful old friends (some I hadn’t seen in 25 years!), that I would have to say it was a huge success!

We started out with drinks on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel, followed by a fabulous cocktail party given by Architectural Digest Editor Margaret Russell who is incredibly gracious (Marc Charbonnet made a big point of introducing me to both Margaret and Jacqueline Terrebonne, Design Projects Editor, who is originally from New Orleans). I had to laugh when I saw the online article about the party because the first photo in the slideshow has my friends in it!

In foreground L to R: Owen Kemp (woman with short hair), top of my head, David Parker, Keith Koppens and architect Jim Dart. With us but not pictured were Marc Charbonnet and NYC photographer Alec Harrison.

Afterwards, we all met Hunt Slonem for dinner at Bryant Park Grill and spent most of the next day at his amazing 30,000 square foot studio and Mario Batali’s Eataly where we dined on the roof. My talk at the Anichini showroom was the next morning where I was so excited to not only see old friends who worked with me at Peter Marino Architect (Annie Baumgartner, Scott Weaver & Russell Bush) back when Peter wore bow ties and pleated pants, but beyond thrilled that Newell Turner not only took the time out to come see me, but along with Marc Charbonnet, gave glowing testimonials on my paints! I mean really, how could you not be sold after listening to those two!

The very talented NYC photographer Alec Harrison & Interior Designer Marc Charbonnet at Anichini NYC.

Most of us went to lunch at Victor’s Cafe’ afterwards where the party started and lasted until the wee hours (Flute Champagne Bar)! I’m embarrassed to say, we were hobbling to the plane the next day (I usually pace myself)!

Our “hostess with the mostess”, Anichini founder Susan Dollenmaier summed it up beautifully in her email to us afterwards:

Looking Forward to Fall

Summer is almost over and my Fall schedule is pretty exciting! Since my last post, I’ve been asked to speak at the D&D Building’s Fall Market in NYC. Scheduled for October 15-16, the opportunity inspired me to create my new hand-painted color charts, and most recently what I think will be a handy tool for use in planning paint projects. The Design Folder consists of my  11″x17″ hand-painted color chart of 100 stock colors, plus my Whites & Brights color chart, as well as color therapy information, all enclosed in a folder large enough to also store your project’s 8″x11″ samples.

My handy new Design Folder shown on a rare Anichini hand-loomed throw. A gift from artist Hunt Slonem. Serendipity abounds!

My talk on the powerful energy of color, its effect on human emotion, and how to use it to create healing spaces will be held on Thursday, October 16th at 10:00 am in the Anichini showroom. I have been a big fan of Anichini textiles and linens for years and only recently met Susan Dollenmaier, its founder, when she stayed at Shadetree Inn here in St. Francisville. Susan is about to open her newest venture, the Anichini Company Store, in Quechee, Vermont next month where you’ll be able to purchase my paints and see nine of my full spectrum paint colors gracing the walls. Stay tuned for photos coming soon! I will also report back with the D&D Building’s schedule of other speakers for the two-day event. 

It’s been a while since I’ve visited New York, so I was thrilled when my two good friends Owen Kemp and Keith Koppens offered to go with me. At the very least, I’ll have a couple of audience members and a damn good time! 

We’re also looking forward to visiting artist Hunt Slonem‘s new 30,000 square foot studio. Hunt threw me a small party in his old studio during my last visit and was kind enough to include me in his newest book “When Art Meets Design” due out September 9. Do I have wonderful friends, or what?

When Art Meets Design by Hunt Slonem is available for pre-order on Amazon.com

I’m thrilled to be mentioned several times in Hunt’s book and can’t wait to see the photos. This photo showcases “Turquoise” from my Magical Gems Palette.

If you are in the area, I hope you’ll plan to visit the market and join us for what promises to be both interesting and fun!

41st Audubon Pilgrimage is This Weekend!

For 41 years now, dedicated citizens of Saint Francisville have dressed up in period costumes like the ones shown below to host our annual Audubon Pilgrimage, celebrating the time when John James Audubon came here from France to tutor Eliza Pirrie at Oakley Plantation.  I have never had the courage to don one of those not so flattering costumes, so when I was asked to write an article about one of the homes on tour this year; I felt it was the least I could do to contribute. A few days later, I received an invitation from one of the country’s best-selling authors to accompany him to the Angola Rodeo here in town on the same weekend as my interview.  Considering I had never written an article for a magazine before, I took it as “a sign” to bring him along, figuring he could certainly show me some pointers! Thanks to him (read the article to find out who!) and Country Roads Magazine editor James Fox-Smith, it turned out quite well: Tales Tall but True of Woodland Plantation

Being a gal who only wears tailored clothes, I guess I have to claim vanity when it comes to wearing one of these outfits--especially the hats!

This year’s Pilgrimage features three days of festivities including historic home and garden tours, an antiques show and sale, a wine & cheese reception on Friday night and on Saturday night, a “Light up the Night” Soiree with dinner al fresco, street dancing to live music and a wine-tasting. For the schedule of events and more information visit: AudubonPilgrimage.info

In conjunction with Pilgrimage this year, the Historical Society Museum on main street features a traveling Smithsonian exhibit, Journey Stories. The West Feliciana Historical Museum produced a short video that chronicles the journeys in West Feliciana Parish from the time of the Tunica Indians and the French traders to the beginning of the 20th Century. David Norwood (of Woodland Plantation’s story mentioned above) and Janie Simmons (www.1-800-jane-eyre.com) wrote the script, and the video was produced by Sarah Powell. CDs are available for those wishing to take a driving tour of the areas mentioned in Journey Stories.

Hemingbough Antiques across from the Post Office will be open during Pilgrimage and has fine Audubon prints on sale.

If you are in our area, you really should come for the festivities. The weather promises to be fabulous and the azaleas are all in full bloom. Don’t miss Afton Villa Gardens which is spectacular as always! Hope to see you there!

Recap of 2012 Color(s) of the Year

In my September 20, 2011 post “2012 Color of the Year and Color Trend Report” I was one of the first to report on the Color Marketing Group and Akzo Nobel’s international Colour Futures Team picks for the 2012 color of the year. CMG chose a deep purple (Boysenberry) and the Colour Futures Team selected a red with orange undertones (Tea Dance) which we made a full spectrum version of back in 2008 and renamed “Mykonos Red”.

Finally, Pantone has come out with their 2012 Color of the Year and it’s making quite the splash! “Tangerine Tango” is popping up everywear on the internet in accessories and clothing. It’s not surprising since orange is such a happy, social color that balances both the mental and physical. It’s a “take each day as it comes” kind of color. Our “Barry’s Babylon”, created for Bay area designer/architect Barry Johnson is the perfect example. As you can see in the photos below, because it’s “full spectrum”, it looks different in every setting:

Barry Johnson's office in his Redwood City showroom, The Brick Monkey

After living with a neutral palette for many years, Yoga Instructor Owen Kemp  liked it so much, she painted her living room with it:

Barry's Babylon in Owen's pre-Civil War cottage in St. Francisville

Artist Hunt Slonem, who is known for his love of colorful walls, used it in one of his parlors at Lakeside Plantation:

Barry's Babylon in the parlor at Lakeside Plantation

Hunt’s new book, The Worlds of Hunt Slonem, is getting rave reviews and was recently voted by Vogue Magazine as one of their top ten books for Christmas. It’s already been featured in numerous publications including Elle Decor  and The Wall Street Journal. This is one of those coffee table books you’ll never tire of. Although it retails for $90, Amazon has it for $56.70. If you happen to be in New York, the Marlborough Gallery at 40 West 57th Street is exhibiting his newest paintings, Louisiana landscapes “Acadian Dreams”, from December 14th through January 7th. The reception on the 14th is from 6-8 pm. For more information: Press Release from the Marlborough Gallery

"Bayou Teche", Albania Plantation, 2011, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 in.

If you would like samples of our Barry’s Babylon, email me at ellen@ellenkennon.com and I’ll be happy to send you a hand-painted sample!

11:11 and 11-11-11

For as long as I can remember, when I look at a digital clock, it often says “11:11”. It wasn’t until I started reading the Kryon books back in 1990 recommended by my friend Sidney Coffee (more about her later), that I discovered this is supposed to be a “cosmic wink”–a reminder by the angelic beings that surround us, that we are divinely connected and to shift our thoughts from negativity to something positive we’d like to manifest.

Since then, I have been on a spiritual quest, drawn to channelers of angelic beings like Kryon, shamans and sound healers like Tom Kenyon and Robert Coxon, Doreen Virtue, whose numerous books on angels and nature spirits have thoroughly intrigued me, and especially to metaphysical books on color (like Meredith Young-Sowers’ Agartha).  It seems I have read very little “fiction” over the past 20+ years.  Of course, some might call what I do read “fiction”, since these books are about the “unseen”. Not surprising that I have been so drawn to color, since the color we see when we look at something is in fact not its real color. Every object absorbs all the colors that it really is, and reflects the color it is not, and that’s the color you see!

Back to 11:11. Seeing 11:11 on clocks has been happening more frequently (almost daily!) and just the other night, I was awakened by my iPhone which was charging across the room. I jumped up thinking it might be my daughter texting me and when I looked at the phone, there were no texts, no alerts, nada–just the time: 11:11!

With the approaching date this Friday of 11-11-11, I’ve been getting all kinds of newsletters about what a powerful day of manifestation this will be. According to Gillian MacBeth-Louthan of  TheQuantumAwakening.com, “11:11:11 is a number activation sequence. Each time that you see this number on a digital clock it represents that you are being given an opportunity to walk into a Gateway of Instantaneous Manifestation. The universe has just taken a snapshot of your thoughts, which then are manifesting into the physical in record speed. The time period from November 11 to January 11 is considered to be the HOLY TRINITY months. All in All it is a divine decree and opportunity issued to all of earth. Wake-up, and become your true light.”

There are many celebrations and meditations taking place all over the world this day. I know I plan to light candles and focus on all things positive. My friend Sidney Coffee, who I mentioned previously, has invited me to her Zen House (see previous blog post and newsletter) this Friday which will be open to the public Sunday evening, in conjunction with LSU’s Hilltop Arboretum Fall Garden Tour in Baton Rouge. An article, “Zen Retreat” came out today with more information and photos.  If you are in the area, I hope you’ll come by on Sunday. I’ll certainly be there!

Sidney & Al Coffee's Zen House is the highlight of "Moon Shine: A Walk on the Night Side"

Surprisingly, for the first time, I Googled “11:11” and found a wealth of information. Here are some I found interesting:

http://1111spiritguardians.com

http://www.v-j-enterprises.com/gate1111.html

http://www.greatdreams.com/11coin.htm