Coloring a New Decade

I’ve decided to make color the main theme of my art blog as we go into 2010. It may seem like I am narrowing the focus of my visual arts work, but it is a BIG topic. I intend to touch on subjects which may interest painters and quilters, but any one working with color may relate, including designers, crafters and art educators.

Every time a new project arises, how to use color becomes a primary consideration. Where do we look in seeking color inspirations? There are as many sources as there are colors, even in the world of science.

Did you know “Cosmic Latte” is the name of the average color of the universe? In 2002 two scientists, K. Glazebrook and I. Baldry, reported this in their results of surveying color in over 200,000 galaxies. They were trying to study star formation and the beigeish white Cosmic Latte discovery was a by-product. Thus, a story of how a color is named is sometimes more interesting than the look of the color itself. (Beigeish White? lovely…yawn.)

In the Washington Post article describing his discovery, Glazebrook jokingly said that he was looking for suggestions for a new name for the color. Peter Drum was reading the Post while drinking his morning latte and suggested Cappuccino Cosmico and Cosmic Latte. The former name got the most votes, but the scientists picked Cosmic Latte.

Anyone can play the Name the Color game. The next time you get out your paints and brushes, mix up a hue which seems new and different, and have a go at it. Perhaps there are new worlds to be discovered in your paint box.

One of the greatest joys of working with color is discovering the endless possibilities of finding new combinations that make up a personal palette. All a person needs to do is look around, for color inspiration is everywhere.

“To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.” -William Blake