A Post for Frida {mexican hues}
This post is quite obviously inspired by the lovely Frida Kahlo and the beautiful colors of Mexico. I have had the idea for this post dancing around in my head for quite some time now, but it has just come together to where I can translate my thoughts. Frida Kahlo is one of my favorite artists and women in history and I am in constant inspiration by her style & if you have not seen the movie, then shame on you! No I’m kidding, well, kind of, the movie is fantastic and FILLED with color, textile, and pattern inspiration, in fact I think I will buy it after I finish posting this. I think it is a must have for any artist library & the soundtrack is fantastic and features one of my favorite singers Lila Downs(also seen singing in the movie). also, for those in the San Francisco area or for those planning on visiting, be sure to stop by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for the Frida Kahlo Exhibit that will be up until September 28, 2008 (thanks Rachel).
Her photos alone are just filled with decorative inspiration. From the flowers in her hair, to the patterns of her skirts, dresses, and blouses, to the richness of your home seen below (which is also affectionately known as “La Casa Azul” in many areas), her entire artistic essence speaks of design inspiration to me.
Her home which is now a museum is filled with lots of authentic design inspiration. My favorite is her studio and the kitchen. The painted yellow dining set above is fantastic and the avocado walls in her studio below is divine! Wouldn’t you love to be able to create in such an open space!
The colors of Mexico in general are intriguing, expressive, and rich, and I love it all. Cobalt, indigo, yellow, turquoise, red, fuschia, mustards, avocado, terracotta, all of these colors can be fused together to bring a beautiful Spanish flavor to your home. What I find interesting are the color palettes in which you can use to achieve the feel of Mexico.
Color & Earth: You can find many homes in Mexico that are illuminating with color from the inside out. From hot pink exteriors, purple painted bricks, or the cobalt blue ocean, and the cool greys & whites. You can never go wrong with shots of color when it comes to the colors of Mexico. One thing that I like to do is observe the food that is often prepared in a country and then translate those colors to my design ideas. In this case you can have very bright colors of fresh red & green chiles, green cilantro, bright lemons, limes, and oranges.
Just as well, you can find inspiration in the earthy tones of a maroon dried chile, avocado greens, terracotta pots, a freshly baked tortilla with spots of browns and blacks, and the mildness of the inside of a diced tomato. You will be surprised at how much color inspiration you can get from foods and spices alone!
Speaking of food, here is a GREAT cookbook that is inspired by the taste of Frida!
Tags: color, frida kahlo, mexico
July 30th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
You just reminded me I want to go to her exhibit when I’m in S.F. next week. I totally would have forgotten if not for this post. Thanks BUNCHES!
July 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Doh!! How did I forget to put that in there. I have added in…thanks for reminding me! I wish I could go and see it, I am sure it will be quite fantastic!
July 30th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
WOW. Frida is one of my absolute favorite. Henri Matisse is the other one.
A long time ago I was just a little girl who liked design/fashion magazines. In one of those mags was a picture of Frida’s kitchen. I thought to myself, “what a great kitchen. When I grow up that’s what I want. There wasn’t a picture of Frida. It was some years later that I put the 2 together. This speaks to me. Thank You.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Thank you. I absolutely love Frida, too! I’m using a lot of these colors when we *finally* paint the house. I’m using a green very similar to that one in my studio/art + craft room! And you are soo right about looking at food and nature for colors. Awesome post!
July 30th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
My favorite…I think I’ll watch the movie again tonight…Salema Hayek was brilliant as Freida…No so much a fan of her work, but I am a fan of her spirit…
July 30th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Ok this is one of my most favorite post ever! Frida (both her work and she as a person) is a huge inspiration of mine and comes in a close second to Georgia O’Keffe as my favorite artist. How wonderful to see all of these lovely images compiled in one place.
Just what I needed today. Thanks for sharing!
July 30th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
So much color, I am overwhelmed.
I really like that video too!
August 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
hitting my heart…dead on. i love frida…frida was almost my daughter’s name…untill we found “yael.” it can’t be a secret my love for mexican culture…being married to a mexican man, it seems to have permeated my blood in the 10 years are so we’ve been together.
i love celebrating mexican culture…its almost all we do, you’ll find so much mexican influence in my art, around my house, and in me…and now i’m seeking to merge it with my african roots.
i love that movie, have it and the poster. i watch it or have it going lots of times when i’m sketching…the colors, the music the passion…the cinematography i could go on forever!
what a beautiful post…as always you did the thang!
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
OMG! Fabulous post! The colours are beautiful and Frida’s paintings always touch my heart!!!
August 4th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
What a beautiful colorful post! I love Frida’s work, and when I visited Mexico-City a few years ago, I also paid a visit to the Casa Azul. It was great to see the place where she’s lived and worked, it’s a very nice museum. Great to virtually visit the place again!