Twist’n Teal and Olive

As visual arts professionals, we draw inspiration from the world around us.

Along those lines, I’d like to tell you a little story …

I have shown horses since I was a kid and have enjoyed great success on a large scale across my show career.

After showing the same horse for 16 years, I now have a new horse, Charlotte. In order to be seen from afar by the judges as we ride in the arena, I thought it prudent to find new fabric that would help my very dark chestnut mare be more visible on the rail. I looked through the swatches of ultra-suede available and chose a dark teal.

You see, I have all of the other grown-up colors that called to me already: navy, black, olive, and grape. Burgundy or rust wouldn’t do Charlotte any favors, and I knew that some other folks in my circle were having new red outfits made. So, teal it was by default.

We visited the fancy fabric stores in Chicago and looked all across what was available. There wasn’t really anything catching my eye until I ventured over to the upholstery section where I found some teal and chartreuse (which I felt was kind of lime and olive mixed) that appealed to me. We paired it with a zigzag teal and planned to put Swarovski crystals and dark teal ultra-suede with it. I was happy with our selections. (The jacket is still in process; stay tuned for that visual upon completion.)

A little time passes, and I learn that Toys R Us is going out of business. My daughters convince me that we should go to the toy store to see what they might need so we jump in the car and make the trip to the mall. As we look around, I decide that I need one of those travel pillows for when I fly on an airplane. My choice: Twist’n Teal and Olive again.

A little more time passes. I find myself in a rental house I’d secured for a trip to San Diego. I walk upstairs and what’s there but a bathroom of Twist’n Teal and Olive with white and navy added in.

One evening on the same trip, we’re walking to a restaurant for dinner and I pass by a lovely little store. What do I see in the window? Two handbags in this same color palette. It seems to be catching my eye everywhere I go.  Naturally, the store is closed at that hour.

I return home to Wisconsin and keep thinking about the little store I never did get to visit during business hours. I dug up some contact information and bought one of those handbags. I am convinced that the universe was being insistent on the Twist’n Teal and Olive that I keep running into. (No, this is not just a way to justify the handbag purchase, folks.)

Come to find out, that handbag is made of vintage fabric and the home with the Twist’n Teal and Olive palette in the upstairs bath is owned by a lovely French couple who specialize in fine art and would later give my young daughter helpful drawing tips received from his mother, a professional painter.

Isn’t it funny how random points intersect sometimes to make perfect sense and have long-standing effects from that point on? I wonder if Twist’n Teal and Olive will have a long shelf life for me or will be a fleeting inspiration. We’ll see.

We’d love to hear about your inspirations too!

Kim Schlepp