DISCOVERY: Flirting with color!

Before Pinterest

Before Pinterest . . .  Bookshelves had always been just a place for books.  I love and collect books so storage can be a problem. Fortunately, Sweetness is a gifted carpenter and crafted a wall to wall bookshelf in the room I have designated “the library.” Unfortunately, I stocked our shelves to overflowing with all the beloved books that fit (and sometimes didn't).  They were arranged by topic and grouped by author.  Whenever I wanted to re-read a favorite I knew the general area and plucked it off the shelf. Yawn.

After Pinterest . . .  Strolling through Pinterest one day I noticed many pictures of bookshelves- row after row of bookshelves –just bookshelves- artfully arranged- - and something clicked. It was time to tackle the bookshelf from a new angle. The quest began to inspire a creative approach to storage.  I Googled, Youtubed, and Pinterested the heck out of bookshelves.  Within a weekend I had a new vision of my space. COLOR!

After Pinterest!

Arranging my beloved books by color has led to a feeling of discovery every time I go looking for a book.  In my green section, Frog and Toad is nestled by Jerry Spinelli’s The Library Card and The Complete Guide to Flower Gardening.  Barbara Bush, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and Louis Sachar are new “book-fellows” in the blue area. The palette of color has brought new energy to the room.  It is like looking through an old photo album as I reminisce about favorite writers, memorable characters, and incredible stories.

Imagine my surprise and joy then, at the recent unexpected find of Lisa Hoke’s exhibit on the third floor of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Hoke's installation is a massive 15 feet high and over 150 feet wide- a blank wall serving as her canvas of recycled paper products arranged by—COLOR!

I hope you are gifting yourself with artist dates this month.  Consider a trip to the OKCMOA to see Hoke’s work or be inspired on the first floor with the unforgettable photography of Ansel Adams.

If you are craving Spring green- check out the fabulous photos of Jennifer James St. Patrick's Day Parades past and present!

 If you want to borrow a book- come on down to my library, you never know what might delight your inner artist!