". . . a brush with nature"

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:13

I wish we all could always have a happy heart…experiencing joyful, carefree moments each day, like children blowing bubbles or playing games in the park, with all the innocence of youth still wrapped securely around us. I wish that children never had to experience the heartache that might eventually crush their spirits. I wish we as adults would never have to experience such heartaches either. I know that just isn’t possible. In fact, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote that “into each life some rain must fall”, and sometimes, unfortunately, that can even become a deluge. It cannot be prevented. It cannot be stopped from happening to each of us from time to time. But I want my art to inspire joy and a sense of happiness in those that view it. I want you to smile again (at least for a few moments) and maybe even remember a more carefree time in your life when you were free of worry, anxiety or the responsibilities of everyday living. I want my paintings to give you a chance to take a moment to relax and relive those halcyon days.

I want you to have a happy heart. 

Excerpt from “The Rainy Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

As an artist have you even purposely chosen a specific color theme for your work in the hopes of evoking a particular emotion in your viewer?

There are numerous articles written about what any given color means or what emotion it will arouse in a person, but take a moment to look again, or even read further within the same article, and you’ll be sure to find a contradiction to the “fact” it is purporting.

For example, I read in several articles that the color green is linked to emotions such as calmness, tolerance, and being agreeable with those around you (or just being agreeable in general.) The very same article stated that green was associated with jealousy and envy, as well. And, of course, we have all actually heard the very familiar phrase "green with envy" throughout our lives. That’s probably because it goes way back! It was first used by Shakespeare in “Othello”. Green is also the color associated with poison and toxicity. 

Now I don’t know about you, but I am thinking that calmness and tolerance strongly contradicts envy, poison and the like.

I read that the color blue is often described as being peaceful, tranquil and a sign of reliability and stability. Really? In the same articles it is pointed out that blue is very often associated with “sadness” or full-blown feelings of depression. I am sure you have heard that very common expression of “feeling blue”, which so aptly describes the experience of sadness or melancholy.  When all of this is considered, I am confused whether blue paint should be chosen for the walls of public facilities for its peacefulness or avoided because of the potential feelings of sadness it could possibly promote. Very confusing.

Does the color blue make you feel sad or do you find it peaceful and inspiring?

What about red? Now there’s a strong color that elicits intense emotions, whatever they are. Red, because it is so strongly linked to sexuality and intimate passion, can certainly draw attention and draw you near. But at the same time, it signals a warning to STOP, a warning of DANGER, pushing you away. Red is said to represent both love and anger. These seem quite contradictory to me, but I’m not to the point of “seeing red” over it yet. (Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself. LOL) But, it does prove my point, once again, that what each color represents is truly a mixed bag.

I could go on and on citing examples of other colors here, but this blog would just become too long. I think you get the gist of it, though. Colors can represent many different things to many different people. 

Artists can and do use colors quite intentionally to express their own emotions and elicit an emotional response (of one kind or another) from those that view their art. Color always has an aspect of feeling associated with it, but what exactly that feeling is can sometimes be confusing. Sometimes it is just “mixed emotions”.

What’s important to me, the really special part when a sale happens, is the connection that has been made. It means a lot when someone likes something I have created, something I have put my heart into, so much that they want to take it home with them. It isn’t about the exchange of money at all. For me, at least, it is about the sharing of emotions. The emotion I put into the piece as I painted it and the emotion they feel when they look at it. It’s powerful. It’s all about the connection.