Elena Patterson is the mastermind behind the Hunter Foundation's Paint Program, the co-chair for the Board of Directors, and a philanthropist with a huge heart and a great eye for color! While we all know her for her bold color choices and beautiful paint schemes, how did Elena find herself on the mountain and in the arts?

     Elena has been visiting the Mountaintop since the 70's. A family member owned a house in the area and would spend winters in Florida. During those winter periods, Elena, her husband and children would come up and use the house. They would also occasionally visit in the summers when her sons were babies, showing them off and taking in the fresh air of the mountains. It was this, the fresh air, trees, dirt roads, and the magnificent walks in the woods that she loves most about the area.
      She has always been artistic, even as a young child. She was drawn, early on, to making things from items others had discarded. She attributes this to having limited supplies but more so to seeing the beauty that is buried inside all objects. She was not able to study art in school, as the curriculum did not allow, but there was no question that she would study art at university. She enrolled at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and graduated with a BA in Graphic Design.

     Later in life two books on American "Painted Ladies", about Victorian buildings painted in magnificent colors and photographed by Douglas Keister, fascinated Elena. She set to painting her home in a similar fashion, even though it was newly constructed and lacked the gingerbread trim of an old Victorian. She chose different areas and walls to be painted in different colors, using a unifying trim color. For added whimsy, she painted shutters with pictures on them, suggesting what was happening inside those rooms. She decorated the front door with an animal print and painted the rocks lining the driveway in colors to match the house. The effect was quite successful and people came from all over to look at the home. The house was also included in a book in 2007, titled Cottages, and photographed by the same Douglas Keister!

    Elena had given some thought to possibly asking the Tannersville Mayor at the time, Glenn Wyant, whether a paint scheme similar to the one she had employed on her own home, would work in the Village. A rainy afternoon two ladies from a distant house knocked on her door after walking about a mile, just to tell her how much they loved her paint scheme. This was the event that pushed her to pursue the Paint Program.

     She pitched the idea to the mayor who was more than enthusiastic about it. He suggested she team up with the Hunter Foundation who were already administering several rehabilitation grants throughout the Village. This began a hugely successful relationship that continues to this day.

     The Paint Program has painted over fifty buildings on Main Street in the town of Hunter over the past ten years. After creating so many color schemes with such a varied look and feel, you have to wonder where she gets her inspiration. Elena says that her inspiration for her colors schemes are the colors themselves, or more specifically how the colors play off one another and complement each other. Depending on the combination they can be "delicious", "fun", "funky", "sophisticated", "playful" etc.- each one has its very own character. One of the biggest misconceptions about the paint program is that owners have no say in the colors that will go on their building. Often owners will give us the paint colors they like and Elena will create a few color schemes based on those colors. Elena says, "I usually do three color combinations, ranging in degrees of wildness to mildness. The courage of the building owner determines which combination is to be the winner."

When talking about the future of the Paint Program, Elena would like to set up a Maintenance Fund so that all of the buildings that have been painted can continue to be maintained and look their best. This will be at little to no cost for the owners of the buildings. She is also in the process of illustrating a children's book which she has written based on the Paint Program. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Paint Program Maintenance Fund.

There are several new projects for 2012 that will be sure to have a huge impact on the overall look of the Village. The Alfie's building at 5988 Main Street will be painted this summer, color combination to be determined. The Kaaterskill United Methodist Church and parsonage will also be getting a face-lift this summer. The newly renovated 6042 Main Street will also be painted. 5326 Route 23A in Haines Falls is another huge project that has already started! Watch out for great things from the Hunter Foundation's Paint Program this summer!  

    While the Tannersville Paint Project still has several buildings to paint this coming season, we are also revving up our maintenance program.

    Maintaining our colorful buildings has always been a priority for us as well as for many of our contributors. We have retouched a few spots of peeling paint on one or two buildings in the past, but have been really impressed by the quality and durability of the paint application on all the buildings in Town. BRAVO to our special group of contractors and to Benjamin Moore Paints!

    Ten years on, we are aware that maintenance will become a larger part of our project list. We are thus focusing our efforts on growing our already established Maintenance Fund, from which we can draw when and as the need arises.

    We were contacted a few days ago by Cindy Perman, author of the 2008 book, NY Curiosities, asking for updated information on Tannersville's Paint Project for the new edition of her book which is due out by mid-year. Not having been aware that we had been featured in her first edition, we are thrilled with this bit of information.

    In order to continue our successful campaign to attract visitors to our Mountain-top - thus helping our local businesses - we ask that you give generously to the Hunter Foundation. If you choose to donate to the Maintenance Fund, please note that on your check. Your contributions are not only tax deductible, but will also be managed thoughtfully and prudently.

    With your help, we will be able to ensure continued visits from the curious!  

    With sincere gratitude for your generous support,

Elena Patterson
(Co-Chair, The Hunter Foundation)