Oh, for the love of PAINT!

I have been having some conversations about paint companies lately.  A painter recently asked me, “Is that Sherwin Williams fan-deck burning a hole in your hands?”  Most of you who know me in the paint industry know that I have been a very loyal Benjamin Moore user for many many years.  There was a time when people would play the stump Jes game; people would shout out a number and I would answer with the corresponding name.  I even can remember some color formulas.

BENJAMIN MOORE
So the question is, why have I opened my mind and let in more companies?  The answer is need.  I love Ben Moore products and I love their color choices.  I do not love how much room the colors take up in my car!!!  I do not love that the customer service that I receive differs from store to store, and that I cannot have a constant discount in a large area for my clients to utilize.  If my life was such that I only worked in a small area, like Severna Park (Clement Hardware) and could stay loyal to one or two stores, I would still be loyal to Ben Moore.  I love the reps for the company, but there is only so much that they are able to do.

PPG and CALIFORNIA PAINTS
There is a store in Annapolis, MD that I absolutely love!  Maryland Paint and Decorating is a fantastic store and there really is no other place for decorative painters in the area.  Mark gives his customers great prices and is very supportive of his painters.  The customer service is the best in the area, and they cater beautifully to designers and the DIY-er looking for design help.  The colors of the two manufacturers that he carries is unsurpassed in color range.  If you want a particular color, you can get it at MD Paint & Dec.  The problem for the color consultant is the in home color kits that they offer.  They are too cumbersome and heavy to carry around from house to house in a day.  The other problem is the consistency for my client base.  Once again these are privately owned stores so there is no universal discount within a large area.  If I my client base was only in Annapolis, I would be at this store for all my Annapolis clients!

SHERWIN WILLIAMS
I have begun using SW because of the Painting Company that I was working for.  They had a great rep in Fred Davis, and they were desperately trying to get me to switch over to SW from Ben Moore.  The consistency of pricing and service is commendable.  My clients who were painting for themselves could use the discount where-ever they were located.  The individual stores were in every area in my territory from Northern Virginia to Baltimore to Annapolis to the Eastern Shore.  There are some holes in their fan-deck and I’ve had to do some color matching with a close eye, but I’ve been very pleased with the support of the company.  I’ve been surprised by the products and the upgraded technology they are pushing.  The thing I love the most about SW; the color box!!!  It’s small, convenient and doesn’t take up too much space in my car.  This is the only color deck that I will be traveling with when we go on the road.  Sometimes it is about the colors, sometimes the product, for me – it’s about the convenience.  The other advantage is that it is national.  I will be able to travel around the country and have consistent colors where ever I go.  Fred is also going above and beyond by calling some of the stores in the areas I’m going to, and providing an introduction for me.  I couldn’t be more supported!  THANK YOU FRED DAVIS!!!!!

Can’t wait to share more with you!

Where we stand?

WHY AM I DOING THIS WORK? (my philosophy)

The more I meet with people, and get to know them in the brief crossing that I have with them, the more I know how important it is to find joy.  My joy is being discovered in letting go of old ideas of how to perceive life and how “I’m supposed to live.”  I have lost both of my parents over the last five years.  Neither one was able to retire to live the good life.  I am blessed to have had 30 odd years with my parents and I’m appreciative of all they gave me.  I’m also blessed with the freedom to learn from their lives and not be tied down to living in a way that wont disappoint them.  I had no idea that was even a way that I was living my life before they died.  I’m unbelievably inspired to let go and LIVE!!!!  I’m out on my own with this business, and my husband and son and I are going out on our own in our way of life!

“Wouldn’t life be great if…”

When I ask this question, I find that people can’t often tell me.  We think that we somehow are supposed to settle for what we have instead of being blissful about what we have.  My job of picking colors for people’s homes seems so insignificant when you talk about all the ways of helping people, but I don’t see it that way anymore.  I used to see myself as unimportant in the grand scheme of someone’s life.  But now I realize I am blessed with the opportunity to encourage, support, honor and uplift people within their intimate spaces.  A house is an object, but a home is often a sanctuary for a family (or group of people living together).  What more could I ask for?

I have discovered my passion, and that is thrilling to me!  I hope I can help people walk toward joy, so they can experience their passions too.

So far this week, I’ve talked with a client who was challenged by her space because of the design and how she was “supposed” to handle that architecture/style.  And I had another couple who needed another person’s opinion in order to honor the needs of one another.  Thursday I’m just supposed to confirm an exterior color.  But under all these consultations, I have these connections with people who move me, and drive me to continue to assist in any way that I can.  And in each of these instances I see a twinkle in my clients’ eyes and a smile on their face.  That’s what this is all about for me!

WHERE DO WE STAND/LIVE/WHAT’S NEXT?

where oh where will we go?

Well, this week…

On Friday, September 3rd I will be at The Little Yellow Paintbrush (10 West Dover Street, Easton, MD @ 5pm) to body paint a young man in honor of the jazz festival coming up later in the month.  My husband Alex (Who is Alex Gordon, Inc.) will be playing from 7-9pm in the courtyard next to the gallery.

Right now Everett is sleeping cozily in his bed and Alex is at an open mic/”pass the guitar” event in DC somewhere.  Tomorrow Alex will be stopping by his favorite open mic at Iota in Arlington, VA; and on Saturday Alex is playing a private event in the Annapolis area.

This past weekend we were at the BiMA fest in Baltimore.  It’s a festival of music industry folks and everyone trying to network and get to know one another.  Alex played a VIP event at Hour Haus.

Alex at Hour Haus

One of the overwhelming things we experienced at BiMA was people feeling discouraged and cynical.  I think there is a way to do this so we can see the positives and still be left smiling.  That is my goal anyway.  Every “no” that we hear is step closer to the “yes” we really want to hear!  I just can’t look at things any other way anymore!

But a decision has been made for our touring…

The Vehicle

We are tricking out my Scion XB with as many storage features as we can, and we are leaving the Maryland area the end of November/beginning of December 2010!

what we can look like...

We will be spending the winter in Atlanta, probably through February, and then moving on to the next city for 2 to 3 months.  It’s a total adventure and we are ready!!!!  Once again, I hope you will stay in touch and share your thoughts and ideas with us.  Let us know where you are as well.  We can notify you about Alex’s gigs, my painting & henna, and anytime you may need some color help…  You never know if you contact us, maybe we’ll make your area a destination point!

Because it’s all about art and color!