GREEN TREE 3 MONKEY

By suzie jellinek

As we approach the holiday season, it seems that our Thanksgiving tables might look a little different this year. Normally we're surrounded by friends and family, and while we are still in a time of uncertainty, unable to make plans with our loved ones, I am taking comfort in the old traditions that I look forward to every year. I plan to create an atmosphere of warmth and love at our table with lots of candles and a wish for better times when we can come together again. 

With that in mind, I'm excited to share with you the inspiration behind the Greentree Candles collection. Jenifer Green of Greentree Home recently talked to me about the curiosity, creativity and craftsmanship that drive her brand. Hand-poured in the Catskill Mountains from 100% pure beeswax in an assortment of beautiful colors, these candles elevate any holiday table.

Greentree Candles
How do art and style inhabit your daily life? 
I believe we are born with creativity. I express my taste and style everyday, from the clothes I wear, to the handmade mug I drink my coffee in, to the art I hang on my walls, to the doodles I draw in my notebook. I choose to incorporate my aesthetic into my daily life.
  
How and when did your brand come to be? 
My husband and I started our company 25 years ago. We made and marketed home accessories and studio furniture. Candleholders were part of the collection and we needed candles, so we settled on beeswax tapers. The candle line has now grown to include 30 styles and 20 different colors. 

Where do you find your inspiration? 
I am inspired by people, places and things. 
- PEOPLE: I love the life and work of artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. They had vision and made moving art installations. Taking well-known architectural and geographical sites, they transform them to give the viewer a new perspective. 
- PLACES: On a recent trip to Paris and Amsterdam, I was completely taken by the architecture, the fashion, the food, the landscape and the lifestyle. 
- THINGS: I am weak for vintage utilitarian items and objects.

Is your brand rooted to a specific place or time? 
Not really, but I am inspired by the past. Our candle-making process and product are both rooted in history.

What drives your curiosity? 
My curiosity is driven by the desire to learn more about subjects that interest me.
~ Suzie