Color Buzz

The Most Expensive "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" Ever

by Michèle Coppin

Hotel St Francis Blue 5010 – 10	Simply Green 6002 – 8C	Very Black 5011 – 2	Statuesque 7002 - 5

This Pablo Picasso canvas painted in 1932 was recently purchased by an unidentified telephone bidder for $ 106, 486, 500 –more than one hundred million dollars, during Christie’s "Property from the collection of Mrs. Sidney F. Brody." This sale makes “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” the most expensive work of art ever sold at an auction! 

The 22nd Annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair Opening Party at the MoMA

Images courtesy of Metropolis Magazine

Every year in NYC, the ICFF is an anticipated event that draws thousands of designers from around the world to have a glimpse at what is “the best and what is next in design” at the Jacob Javits convention center. This week, show rooms are throwing parties citywide for anybody involved in the business of beautiful homes. This is truly a “must be in New York” week! The most exiting of these celebrations takes place yearly at the Museum of Modern Art, in the beautiful sculpture garden, and this year was no exception! I was there on Saturday, and had a blast and shot a short video (see below). It was such a warm beautiful evening with hundreds of elegantly dressed (and colorfully too!) designers from all over the world. Ann and I are going to the Javits Center and will write a post about it, so check back with us to get a peek at the event.

Flower Portraits

by Michèle Coppin

Green Shimmer 6004 – 10A	Riverbed’s Edge 3006 – 9B	Berry Twist 1002 – 1C	Pink Wink 1006 – 2C

Gardens are great sources of inspiration, their colors and shapes often being reinterpreted in new compositions. 16th century Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo, however, used his garden’s gifts quite literally. He created unusual and unexpected portraits which at first look human, but are actually composed of carefully placed flowers and fruits.

Monet’s Garden Palette

by Michèle Coppin

Magic Wand 1001-2A	Tidal Basin 5001-7C	Green Shimmer 6004-10A	Tropical Rain Forest 6002-8B

French painter Claude Monet’s paintings are synonymous with color. He once said "Color is my day long obsession, joy and torment” (something we at Beehive understand well).

Color Schemes Influenced by Cezanne

By Megan Leblond

Silver Dusk 4006-3A	Greenhouse Tint 6002-5C	Butterscotch Sundae 2008-3C	Hacienda Tile 2010-4

As a child, I used to visit the Art Institute of Chicago where I could view Cezanne and Picasso in the same room. I was in complete awe of the power and beauty their paintings conveyed. 

Love Paintings

By Michele Coppin

February is the month of love. To celebrate, here are a few paintings that embody love with their romantic palettes. Each color scheme is characteristic of the artist’s particular style. These harmonious color combinations are great references and very inspirational.

The Kiss - Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918), founder of the Austrian Art Nouveau movement is best know for his decorative symbolic works and his flat un-shadowed surfaces, translucent, mosaic colors and forms surrounded by sinuous, curling background line and patterns. His painting “The Kiss” describes the sensual embrace of two bodies melding together in a golden glow of love and  dissolving into abstract patterns and  motifs.



This palette is reminiscent of Valspar’s 2010 Retro Retreat color trend palette–soft, earthy and sensual.

                   
     Nostalgia 4007-6A          Lyndhurst Shady Grove     Cloudy Sunset 3005-8A
                                                    5006-3B

                                   
                         Nice Berry 1005-3B               Fired Earth 6011-1

Travel Series: Fine Art in Ghent, Belgium

By Michele Coppin

If you enjoyed Monday’s post about the architectural beauty of Ghent, then you might also find today’s post interesting as well. One of Ghent's main attractions for tourists and art historians is St. Bavo's Gothic Cathedral. With its 22 altars and mixture of marble and oak, St. Bavo’s is home to the world famous polyptych "The Adoration of the Lamb" also known as "The Mysterious Adam's Apple.”

This Ghent altar piece is one of Belgium's greatest treasures and one of the world's marvels. This monumental master piece (12 feet x 17 feet) is the finest example of Northern Renaissance painting, replete with disguised  mystical and overt Christian symbolism woven into realistically portrayed  figures and landscapes. Unlike the Italians, Northern painters lacking antiquity for inspiration turned to nature which they embraced in all its detail - inventing an early form of hyper realism.

Painted by the Van Eyck brothers in 1432, this exquisite painting consists of 24 compartmented scenes featuring Christ, Mary, St. John the Baptist, angels, bishops, saints, martyrs, Adam and Eve. The imagery is full of symbolism and double meaning.

Holiday Food Color Inspiration

By Veronique Habermann

Inspiration for color palettes can come from anywhere. As I have been getting myself into cooking mode for the big Thanksgiving holiday, I also realized how inspiring browsing through cookbooks can be. On an empty stomach, all I could think about at first was lunch, but after I fixed myself a nice sandwich (turkey, of course), I let my senses take on the beautiful show of colors. I even researched paintings that were inspired by these foods. Here are some inspiring images along with color palettes inspired by each image:

                                   
                Orange Nut 2004-1C                   Autumn Blaze 2002-1A

                                   
               Golden Spell 3004-1B                  Almond Cream 3001-4C

                               
         Whipped Strawberry 1006-1A          Mystic Taupe 1002-9A

                                
               Autumn Fog 4007-1B         Lyndhurst Castle Sand 5008-1C

                   
     Plumberry 1004-3A        Market Flower 1005-3C         Homestead Resort
                                                                             Parlour Raspberry 1006-3B

                   
  Dusky Purple 1003-5A        Coffee Whip 2008-3A      Toasted Honey 2006-1B

                                
                      Carolina Inn                        Jekyll Grand Dining
              Lobby Yellow 3008-6B                  Sea Mist 5006-3C




                               
               Heirloom Red 1010-3                Pensive Plum 1002-3A

                                
                Perfect Plum 1011-7                Plum Passion 6007-5B




                   
   Berry Blush 1004-1A            Quite Red 1011-3          Hint of Cherry 1004-1B




                               
               Sassy Green 6009-10              Everglade Glen 6003-6A
                                
                Fresh Pear 6007-7C                 Desert Flower 6008-5A

Day of the Dead

By Michele Coppin

Friday’s Project Series post centered on Mexico’s festive and colorful Day of the Dead. This celebration gets underway during the last week of October, when the streets are strewn with colorful papel picado, or paper flags, while town squares and cemeteries are decorated with wreaths of bright yellow, orange and deep, purple marigolds.



Markets are full of unusual sweets such as festooned calaveras, ornate sugar skulls, and garish, little calacas, skeletons in fancy dress sitting on coffins with defiant grins.



On street corners, large paper Mache skeletons greet passersby, beckoning them with a drink.



Portraits and effigies of the popular Catrina figure, a female dandy calavera created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada are present everywhere – in store windows, banners and billboards like this one made out of dried beans and corn:



As November approaches, cities become alive with parades and the buzz of one of the biggest celebrations of the year for Mexicans. Because it is so close to Halloween, The Day of the Dead is sometimes confused with the pagan American holiday. However, the Mexican Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is not a dark holiday or one that harps on fear or death. The occasion is festive rather than morbid, and death is laughed at. It focuses on the idea that death is simply a part of life. It is a way to honor with both mourning and celebrating friends and relatives who have passed.

Families make altars and place ofrendas, offerings of food, candles, incense, and flowers alongside the photo of the departed.

The Day of the Dead coincides with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, the first and second of November.

The multitude of the holiday's images of skeletons and sugar skulls may be a little surprising – these images are not meant to be frightening, they are reminders that death is a part of life and Mexicans face it with a brave smile.

The night of November 1st, the celebrations come to a climax with a mass, performances and even fireworks. Everyone comes together in this unique atmosphere; mariachis strumming guitars, priests mingling with little devils and baby skeletons and boisterous sexy Catrinas.

The whole night is aglow with color and noise; the sparkle of candle light, the warm bonfires, golden yellow, flamboyant orange wreaths, and garlands, singing, laughter and prayers. But this evening is especially alive with the joyous and sometimes bittersweet remembrance and gratitude for the departed who blessed our lives.

The Day of the Dead is also celebrated in art – like in these 2 paintings by Mexican painter Diego Rivera, who captured his country dichotomy of the spiritual and the grotesque.

Relax in Style

By Michele Coppin

When it comes to decorating, it is easy to be overwhelmed. There are so many styles and palettes to choose from! Knowing what style you like can be very helpful. Here are some visual aids to help you identify your preferences:
 
If your ideal house has a wrap-around porch:


If you like combining natural materials like stone and wood and variations of their muted colors:


If you really like the feel of natural wood furniture and simple patterns on uncluttered walls:


If you like soft light filtering through bamboo shades:


If you get ideas from this fine magazine:


If you like these gifts:


If you like art inspired by  the beauty of nature  like Bierstadts's "Butterfly":


. . . and the warm earth tones in Paul Cezanne's landscapes:


If a fire on a beach helps you dream and relax:


Then, congratulations my friend! You are a relaxed nature lover.
 
You might like these earthy palettes inspired by nature:
 
Reds:
                   
   La Fonda Antique Red   La Fonda Boulder 3001-10A    Cream in my Coffee
            2002-5A                                                                 3003-10C

Greens:
                   

 Grandma's Linen 6001-1C   Cinema Screen 7001-17        Irish Tea 1004-9C

Also, you might want to check out this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Friday about Valspar's "Love, Our Style" site, which quoted Ann and a couple who took the style quiz.

Valspar's "Love, Our Style" makeover contest ended last night but you can still go to the site and take the Our Style quiz to find out how to merge your style with that of your partner.