Ellen Kennon's Newsletter

Living Well Newsletter

Summer 2008

I’m sitting here on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina awaiting news as to when and where Hurricane Gustav will be arriving. Not to worry! St. Francisville rarely gets much from a hurricane, but our electricity does tend to go out during most severe thunder storms. Since Monday is Labor Day and the ICI stores will be closed anyway, we will also be closed and I will be driving north to Little Rock, Arkansas with my laptop and office phone forwarded to my cell. Since our internet service depends on electricity, I will be comfortably ensconced at the Peabody Hotel ready to talk color and take orders!

My valued assistant, Teresa, will be on standby in St. Francisville to fill sample orders so that they can still get out in a timely manner. I’ve certainly learned the meaning of “hurricane preparedness” from three years ago, and am determined to conduct business as usual—well, somewhat! Besides, there are plenty of folks from New Orleans looking forward to using our home—even if it doesn’t have electricity.

Normally, I write my seasonal newsletter before the end of a season, but so much has happened since my Spring Living Well, it has been hard to decide what to focus on. Shortly after writing that despite the flailing economy, our business was booming, it took an abrupt nose-dive. For a couple of weeks, it seemed as if the phone was hardly ringing. I seriously began to doubt myself, my mission and life purpose! I began to reevaluate everything, re-prioritizing, whittling away at all the excesses and focusing on what was really important. It was interesting that the phones started ringing again with many of our first paint customers getting back in touch, reminding me of my initial mission for this business and re-affirming my life purpose.

My initial mission statement was and still is “to create healing environments that bring balance, joy, beauty and inspiration to others” and I am constantly getting confirmation from these loyal customers that my prayers and visualizations are working. And of course, like energies do attract. "Happy" is a compliment we often get about they way they feel in their newly painted spaces.

If you, too, have been finding yourself put in a position to reevaluate your life, you are not alone and may find comfort and guidance from the books and energy alerts by Karen Bishop via her website, www.whatsuponplanetearth.com. I just received her newest energy alert today via email and am excited to report it is entitled “Something Wonderful is About to Happen”!

On another note, we have created some new colors! “Watermelon Red”, a great mix of red, orange and pink, “Serene Green”, a soft soothing light green, “Rain”, a chameleon-like misty gray, “Sable”, a comforting warm brown and “Dusty Rose Pink” which is emotionally nurturing. Samples will be ready soon!

We have also recently created a special palette of colors for the new Ogden Museum’s satellite museum that recently opened in Watercolor, Florida (the walls are painted "Kiwi"). This palette was inspired by the colors of nature found in the Seaside area. The paints are available through the Ogden and proceeds from each sale go towards the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

The Ogden is an affiliate of the University of New Orleans and the Smithsonian. This is the first satellite of the New Orleans-based museum which is considered the largest and most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world. Established in 1994, the Ogden Museum grew from the purchase of one piece of artwork in 1966 to an extensive private collection, to a traveling exhibit, to what it is today.

I’ll close by asking for you to keep New Orleans and the Gulf Coast area in your prayers and wish you all the best for a wonderful upcoming Fall season!

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