Inspiration: Color And I Are One…

“Color possesses me. I don’t have to pursue it. It will possess me always, I know it. That is the meaning of this happy hour: Color and I are one. I am a painter.” Paul Klee

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... Red Balloon by Paul Klee

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... Red... Flower Myth by Paul Klee

The Beauty of Colors…
Imagine a world without color… What would it look like to you? If it weren’t for the kaleidoscope of colors that greet us and surround us on a daily basis, we’d all go mad for the lack of variety. While we might not spend a lot of time talking about it, color is very important to most people. We are particular about the color of our clothes, our car, our homes, our walls, the shoes we wear, and even the polish we wear on our finger nails. My experience with color goes way, way back to … my childhood. As far as I can remember, my first favorite color was red. I loved all things red and had a favorite red mug.

“It is only after years of preparation that the young artist should touch color – not color used descriptively, that is, but as a means of personal expression.” Henri Matisse

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... Woman Reading by Matisse

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... The punk rocker look; black clothes and spiked hair

By the time I became an angst filled teenage punk rocker, I had switched loyalties from red to black and burgundy. For me and my teen friends, Black was the color of hipness, of rebellion; the sanctuary of the outsider determined to ignore the crowds. However, in London, we were not the only ones with slashed t-shirts, tight black pants, Vivienne Westwood plaids, colored hair and pins in our noses. Every Sloane ranger and hip kid borrowed something from the look and made it their own. By the time I moved to New York, everyone was wearing black. I tried my hand at navy but it seemed so tepid compared to the brashness of black.

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” Pablo Picasso

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... Dora Maar Au Chat by Picasso

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... Orange/Saffron clad Buddhist monks...

In New York, we talked about color; shades of skin colors and its implications for that matter. Color was political, it was social, and at various points, it was also emotional. I chose my colors carefully; add a bit of this, a touch of that, a smidgen of the other and soon, I was experimenting with colors with names I’d never heard of. I bet Dora could relate…  And then I found yoga or maybe it found me, and my choice of hues shifted to whites and brights. Orange was the thing… Salmon, Saffron, the blue pearl mama. Nobody asked the question Plinky posed: If you could only wear one color for the next month, what would you choose? If they had asked me back then, I would have said, “All colors have value, color and I are one…” More below. 😉

“And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors; verily in that are signs For those who know.” The Qur’an

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... La Negresse by Matisse

Inspiration: Color And I Are One... White wedding kimono...

Time has brought me full circle, and I have reverted, somewhat, to the colors of my youth… Black and Red still hold sway with me, Salmon and Saffron still appeal to me, but I love my whites too. I wear them when I please; to spiritual events, the healing centers or when I darn please. Damn the fashionista who will dare to step in front of me and say… “We don’t wear white after Labor Day!” To that one I would say, “Excuse me? I wear what I please, Color And I Are One…”
What about you? What are your thoughts? What colors do you like? Do you have a favorite shade? If you could choose one color for a month what would it be? Do share! Thank you. 😉

This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Plinky: If you could only wear one color for the next month, what would you choose?

Positive Motivation Tip: Enjoy the spectrum of colors the world offers and then create your own…

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos Flower Myth, Red Balloon by Paul Klee, Woman Reading, La Negresse by Henri Matisse, Dora Maar Au Chat by Pablo Picasso, Punk Rockers, White Wedding Kimono,  Orange/Saffron clad monks, via Wikipedia.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet