11 September 2007

PALETTE

Photo by Royce Addington



I am behind schedule on an assignment (can anyone else relate to this?) and found myself becoming fairly ‘stressed’. So, what do I do but click on the IMT site this morning to see how I might procrastinate myself away from the inner critics parading around in my head. BUT…I recognized what I was doing (patting myself on the back for that) and decided to try a new antidote…to step away from my normal frittering (on great and challenging stuff but NOT what I should be doing) and try an experiment; one that brings the FUN FACTOR into play! I am going to weave the IMT theme of palette with my assignment.

I have the privilege and good fortune to be working on a writing and photographic gig for submission to a design magazine. Before reading the next sentence, start humming in your mind that old famous tune…House of the Rising Sun. Ok…now go on.

There is a house in old Key West.
They call it the FolliMar.
It’s been in ruins for too many years.
But now, it’s a shining star!

The above photo was taken in the upstairs gallery of FolliMar. You are looking at the bottom of a nine foot chandelier which has been custom made from a collection of antique chandeliers salvaged from places, literally, scattered across the globe...from New Orleans to Paris to Belgium and back. This extraordinary fixture works on an automatic crank and can be lowered to the first floor living and dining room. It is not an understatement to say that this electrical creation is an amazing and ingenious design element because it works within the scale of the house…without pretense, ostentation or conceit. This magnificent chandelier is, in fact, the new heart for the 118 year old notorious Grande Dame.

What is a crystal chandelier if not an elegant, beautiful and inherently magical instrument that solidifies light and refracts into colour. Add to that deep yellow walls, a large gorgeous mirror and expanses of window; it feels as though you have stepped through an iridescent looking glass, glistening with the energy of a sunny bright morning or the candlelit glow of a golden magical evening.

When we study this palette and go a bit deeper, we realize that in addition to yellow, there are shimmers and glimpses of white, gold, orange, brown, bronze and yes, green, red and blue. So there it is again. Yellow, Red and Blue…a limited palette yet the holy trinity of all colour!

Palette: a perfectly mysterious word which represents that magic place where colours meet and alchemize into other colours and tonalities; true shape-shifters in every sense of the concept. The thought comes to mind that palette just may be the heartbeat of all artistic expressions. Colour affects our emotions, our moods, our spiritual awareness, our eating habits, our work habits, our sleep habits, our romance, our attention span, our grief and, joy of joys, our happiness and contentment. We are truly creatures of the light and the shadows and every shade in between.

Even after many years in the design biz (too many to quantify- lol), I still remain in awe of the power and energetic life force of a palette. If I’ve learned anything at all about the power of palette…like energy and light… it is alive, fickle, and can be maddeningly unpredictable or breathtakingly gorgeous.

To realize how much a palette really does affect what we do and how we live can be somewhat daunting! Artists, designers, psychologists and other professionals are really still ‘babes in the woods’; only scratching the surface of this vast artistic/scientific realm….kinda’ like quantum physics in a Crayola box!

Well…I’ve certainly wandered ‘off point’ of my assignment but that’s OK with me. Now, I’m ready to write the article!
May we all live happily ever after in the palette of our dreams!



13 comments:

Patricia J. Mosca said...

Stunning........
And well..we all need a little HAPPY diversion!! And this certainly is one for me!!

carla said...

Those meanderings away from obligations are often necessary to keep creativity fresh. You post was fascinating and entertaining, and that chandelier is absolutely gorgeous!

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Yellow like buttery icing on a cake;how lovely an image, the chandelier and surrounding area. Liked the reflection of it in the mirror too. Enjoyed the dissertation on palette; thanks!

Julia said...

You tooke me an a journey todat . I love spending time here ! great picture and blogging !

megan said...

Nine feet!?! Hard to grasp how magnificent that must be "in person." Love how you framed it, with the mirror reflection and the palms in the window beyond...or behind. Restoration is spiritual...coaxing back all the sleeping beauties...the energy living inside materials. Just think of all that's held inside those crystals from around the world! Beautiful diversions aren't diversions at all...just part of the bread crumb trail. Loved this post. Thank yoU.

Cheryl said...

Spectacular! And I agree -- the palette may very well be the heartbeat of all artistic expression!

Deb G said...

Wonderful...both the photo and what you had to say!

Everydaythings said...

Those grand old chandeliers certainly evoke a bygone rich era for me and grand old mansions! Its good that youve stepped out of the square with this contribution.

Cheryl Finley said...

Oh my! THIS is the color family I've chosen for my living room!...its even has a mango feel to it...but more yellow...ooh my this is wonderful! Now I know how good my living and dining rooms wil look! Thanks for the inspiration!

Anonymous said...

I look forward to your postings because you always dig deep into the topic/theme and examine it fully. You paint with your words so well! :D

Laura said...

WOW! Gorgeous chandelier! And your post was so interesting and intriguing - I really felt drawn into the drama of this setting. Thanks for sharing this wonderful palette!

Gina Cuff said...

Brilliant photo and interesting post. Thank you!

~Gina

Lea Antonio said...

What a wonderful escape for your audience to join you at Follimar. Such a bold palette and the contrast of the dark wood and warm walls, and translucence of the chandelier work so beautifully!