Create Yourself: Claude Monet

When I showed my designer friend, Kate, the new color scheme for the front of our house, she said to me, "Go look up Monet's Giverny in France!"

I did, and was immediately blown away.  How had I never seen photographs of Monet's home in Giverny? And I call myself a francophile!

I knew our proposed color scheme had a very Provençal feel to them, but Kate was right: they were spot on with Giverny. See for yourself:

our proposed color schemeBenjamin Moore

Claude Monet's home in Giverny:

the dining room

the kitchen

those tiles!

The exterior of the house, on the other hand, does not reflect our painting plans:

pink and green:
(not going to suggest this to the family)

What I find personally inspiring about Monet's home in Giverny, above and beyond the color palette, is the boldness with which this great French Impressionist chose to live. Everything about the home says, "Here I am. I am an artist. I love color and choose to surround myself with it."

 Even if you are not ready to paint your entire dining room yellow, replete with kelly green balconies and a bright blue door, doesn't it at least make you think, 

"Wow. That guy did not hold back."

Claude Monet

When we celebrate who we are and what we need, we're too busy to care what others think about our choices. 

(Side note: The term, "Impressionism" began as a derogatory critique of Monet's work. Thankfully he never backed down.) 

We just surround ourselves with the things we love and we engage our talents accordingly. Claude Monet's fondness for cultivating and painting beautiful gardens became one of his greatest muses. 

We bring others joy when we outwardly dare to be ourselves. At the very least, people find our authenticity refreshing and inspiring. At best, they may even be encouraged to share their own talents and passions.

giverny.org

I'll leave you with a thought: 

When you have doubts about what you are thinking, writing, designing or creating, remember that there once lived a man who had his own share of doubts and criticisms*, fears and frustrations, but who eventually surrendered to his fascination with light and form.

And in so doing, he created an entire new way of seeing the world.