“Color is the fruit of life.”
Growing up, my mom and dad sporadically recorded various performances, concerts, and games that I participated in. One such event, now available for viewing on VHS tape, was my first (and only) ballet recital. As the show began, each girl, directed by our wonderful teacher, skipped individually from the front door to her spot on the stage. One by one, my classmates gracefully crossed the room, all of them looking relatively similar in their spotless white or pastel pink leotards, tights, and tutus. There they stood, forming two perfectly straight lines, looking so pristine and coordinated in their perfect ballerina outfits...
...And then it was my turn...
Hands on my hips, I pranced confidently up to the stage in a scarlet red tutu, white tights, and a jet black leotard with rainbow paint splatters. I took my place among the pale pink sea of dancers, a loan dramatic burst of color in an otherwise elegant atmosphere.
This life-long fascination with color tremendously influences my work as an artist today. One of my main goals when drawing is to accurately depict and recreate the vibrant colors of the natural world. The trick to this accuracy (for me) is simple: color what I see, not what should be. The piece featured above of the Merced River is an example of this advice in action. The focal point of the piece is a river, so naturally you would think to use mostly blues and greens to recreate the color of the water. But this is what should be, not necessarily what is! I actually used not only blues and greens, but also two different shades of orange and several shades of brown, as well as white and black pencil to capture the color of the river accurately. The colors you see may seem out of place at times, but if you color or paint them exactly as you see them, your work will have a wonderful, realistic quality to it. With this creative goal in mind, you might just find yourself noticing more and more the amazing pigments that color our lives so beautifully.
(P.S. My obsession with colorful outfits continued throughout my elementary and middle school years, as evidenced by the impressive line up of yearbook/candid photos below. These feature my baby-blue velvet turtle-neck, my lime-green ruffled t-shirt, and my especially ridiculous silky blouse with the lovely, vertical, rainbow stripe pattern.
