Color! It’s all around us in every part of our lives.

So after thirty years of playing with color in my paintings I decided to travel to San Diego and participate in several seminars sponsored by the International Color Consultants of North America to learn more of the science behind color. Back in the spring of this year I was perusing the internet for information about color consulting and came across their website. Several months later as I tried to figure out how to pay for my trip, I was able to present and receive a regional artist project grant from my local arts council and off I went to study the psychology and physiology of color. ( I did mention in Part One that I never really liked science in school so this was a bold adventure for me!)

There were students from Australia, Nigeria, Canada and seventeen states in the United States representing a diverse selection of mostly women interested in various aspects of color. We were a collection of color strategists, interior designers, color consultants, facility managers, faux painters, colorists in transition, teachers and artists, all of whom shared a passion for color!

Led by Frank Mahnke/President of the IACC and author of numerous publications on color, the focus of the IACC is to educate color consultants to create healthy environments for humans to live, work and heal from illness. Much of his research and writing is focused on the universal understanding of color. Across the globe colors are often associated with the same emotions. Understanding color research helps us explain and support why we choose colors for clients. It helps us to understand the reaction in our brains.

As an added bonus to cap our week of color we had a short course with charming Prof. Edda Mally, founder of First Vienna Institute of Color Design and Deputy President of IACC. She led us on an adventure through all of our senses to experience the world using vision, smell, taste, sound and touch. Color can communicate to us in ways we never imagined! We experimented with colors to counteract smells and sounds.  We envisioned colors with taste and touch.

Over eight days I made a new family of friends. We shared many delightful meals talking about our businesses and our lives full of color. It confirmed to me how much I love color and how important it is for us to see color and surround ourselves with colors that help us to feel our very best in every part of our lives. Paint is one of the least expensive ways for us to change a space in our home or work space.

I tell my students and my clients to remember that when they were in kindergarten they loved color and had no fear of using it. So get out your paints and play with color.We are so very lucky to live in a world of amazing color!