​Once the color associated with royalty, purple is a rich and regal color. Deep purple represents luxury with a touch of romance.  On the color wheel, purple is a secondary color achieved my mixing blue and red pigments.  The hue varies according to the proportions of blue and red pigments to either a bright violet or soothing lavender blue.

​Analogous color schemes of red violet, violet, blue violet, and blue naturally occur in nature and make for harmonious color arrangements.  Violet is the color associated with a meditative state and is represented by the third eye chakra. Lavender is fresh and visually calming and looks good paired with blues, pinks and white.  

I am excited to share my art is part of a virtual exhibit through the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. Over 400 pieces of artwork were sent for consideration.

​www.gpec.org/art-exhibit/revival-images/
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Ballard Designs, Duralee, Kravet, Quadrille Fabrics, Restaurant in Savannah, Source Collection, The Rug Company and Williams Sonoma Home

The color turquoise is stunning, vibrant and invigorating. While being refreshing and youthful it can also be a sophisticated color depending on what other colors it is paired with. The color also looks good on most everyone. Since it is the color of fresh water, turquoise is cool and clean. Mixing the pigments of blue and green creates the color turquoise which is also known as blue-green, ultramarine and aquamarine.  A darker shaded version of turquoise is known as teal and a lighter tinted version is known as aqua. Because turquoise is the combination of blue and green, turquoise can have a calming and peaceful affect on your well-being.

Using turquoise with white and black in a space will give the room a retro look of the 1950s or 1960s. Mixing lavender and pink with turquoise in a space will make it more feminine. The combination of apple green and turquoise is a youthful combination.  

Turquoise is often associated as a color of the Southwest and pairs well with its complementary color red-orange, coral and terracotta.

Turquoise is an excellent choice for 2021 as we all are looking to enhance our well-being.  How about an escape to a refreshing tropical turquoise blue beach?

​Toile de Jouy (pronounced twal duh zhwee) is a French term from the word “toile” which means cloth and “Jouy-en Josas” which is the name of a town in North Central France. Originating in the late 1700s in the French village of Jouy-en-Josas, the fabric depicts a pictorial scene in one color such as blue, green, red, or black on a white background. Depictions range from pastoral village scenes, historical narratives of life, landscape scenes, Oriental themes know as Chinoiserie incorporating human figures, buildings, birds, and plants and decorative plaques from the Renaissance period.
Today the textile known as Toile de Jouy is more commonly called toile. Toile designs are found in apparel, bedding, ceramics, dishes, fabric, tiles, and wallpaper depicting the old and modern times. Oh be joyful for Toile de Jouy!
 

The color green has been associated with health, good fortune, luck, jealousy and of course the color of money.   Green is known for the calming effect it has on the psyche, which is why it is used in hospitals, surgeon’s attire and in waiting rooms known as green rooms.  The color green is linked with nature and all of the many forms we see in landscaping, plants, vegetables, fruits and gems.  Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle because of its lush green landscaping.  The city of Seattle is also known as the Emerald City because of all the evergreen trees in abundance there.  Green symbolizes St. Patrick's Day and the Irish clover known as the shamrock.  

Throughout history the color green has many different associations.  The Egyptian’s depicted the God Osiris with a green face representative of the color of plants and new life representing their belief in the afterlife. They also used the green stone malachite in their ornamentation.  The architect, Robert Adam used a muted shade of green in the walls of his interiors. The Aesthetic Movement of the 1860s and 1870s used paint color schemes of green, gold and gray prominently in their peacock motifs. Similarly, the Arts and Crafts movement of the 1860s, which was a statement against the commercialization and industrialization of industry during the Victorian era, used green in their natural motifs of plants inspired by nature and simple materials. 

​The heart chakra which is located in the chest is governed by the color green making it an excellent color for improving well being and health.  Bathrooms, bedrooms, libraries, and offices are spaces that will be enhanced by using the color green.  Some of the names used to describe the color green are apple, avocado, bottle green, boxwood green, celadon, eucalyptus, emerald, fern, forest green, jade, lime, mint, olive, and sea green. The complement or opposite of green is red. Color combinations which are pleasing are green and purple, green and yellow-green, lime green and pink, and green and white and/or cream.  Rather than be green with envy, get lucky and add some green to your decor.