Color Buzz

The Colors of Food

By Michele Coppin

The color of fruits and vegetables can be as beautiful as the color of flowers. The color combinations and variations are endless as they grow, ripen and mature.  Fruits and vegetables have actually been inspiring artists for centuries. “Food portraits” are known as “still lifes.”

Jan Van Huysum, Still Life with Fruit
Oil on copper, 1720
Rijhsmuseum, Amsterdam

These delicious palettes herald the presence of nutrients. Color indicates the ingredients we need for good health. For example:

REDS are packed with vitamins (A C), protect your heart, maintain good blood pressure, and help to protect against some cancers.

GREENS are packed with vitamins (A,C,B,K), provide a source of iron, and boost your immune system.

YELLOW and ORANGE are packed with vitamins (C and B) that keep you eyes strong, boost your immune system and promote glowing skin.

WHITE, such as cheese and yogurt, is packed with calcium.

Some of my favorites in both appearance and taste are asparagus, baby artichokes, fresh garlic, cheese and bread. A glass of red wine would complement this tableau nicely…

Greens speak of youth, nature, fresh starts and cool mornings. Purples, dark reds and burgundy suggest the end of summer, setting sun, heat, and royalty. These opposites however make a very elegant color combination.

 

                                                   
Tropical foliage 6002 – 6C                               Garden Fresh 6008 – 7C

                                                

Hotel St Francis Sangre de Christo 1010 – 6    Accent Frosty Berry 1003 – 1B

 

What do colors symbolize?

By Michele Coppin

Historically, mankind has given symbolic value to colors. As societies developed, colors came to represent different concepts and served multiple functions. They emphasized certain meanings within an image, indicated status, expressed identity, etc. Of course, these meanings are very different depending on the culture they belong to.

Here are some examples of the meanings of various colors from Western European societies.

White: From the birth of the new moon, often associated with birth, purity, cleanliness. Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity.

Black: Mourning, death, earth, seriousness, submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God.

Red: the most emotional color, red signifies passion and love. Hearts are always red, but red also symbolizes blood, fighting and ardor.

Yellow: Warmth, sun, happiness, gold. Yellow also symbolizes cowardice, betrayal and hatred.

Orange: Warmth, wealth.

Green: Calming and refreshing, it is the color of spring and youth. (Walt Disney dressed Peter Pan in green. As the little boy who wouldn’t grow up, the eternal youth wears a tunic reminiscent of foliage. Green also symbolizes envy. 

Blue: The color of the sky and the ocean. Blue symbolizes sincerity, loyalty, peacefulness and tranquility. Blue also connotes melancholy, sadness and isolation. Picasso’s “Blue Period” began shortly after he moved from Barcelona to Paris. He was poor, depressed and cold. From 1900 to 1904, he primarily painted thin, elongated figures in variations of blue. When his work began to sell and his spirits lifted, his palette shifted to Pink.   

The Tragedy, 1903
Picasso
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

Purple: The color of royalty. Purple connotes luxury, wealth, power and dignity.

In Antiquity, purple was derived from a rare sea snail so expensive (even more than gold), it became a symbol of royalty as only the very wealthy could afford it.

The Byzantine emperor Justinian I appears clad in a purple cape in this 6^th century mosaic from the San Vitale Basilica in  Ravenna, Italy.

Max's Story

Guest entry written by Max, 14 year old son of Beehive Studios designer Veronique Habermann.

Of the things I do in and out of school, there is one hobby of mine that stands out; art. It consumes most of my life. When I am not playing hockey, snowboarding, surfing, or studying, I am drawing. I even find ways to practice my art when I do not have access to my art tools. I will rip paper into shapes or draw in the condensation on my car window. My love of art is fueled by the ability to express myself. Colors and lines can express emotions. If I am angry, I will include very warm and vibrant colors such as reds and yellows. If I am sad, I will use much more dark colors such as grays and blues. Happiness can be expressed by using vibrant and friendly colors such as greens and oranges.

To me, a canvas is just as affective as a therapist. It gives you the opportunity to share your emotions without being judges. Drawing and painting take me away and allow me to forget about the stress of everyday life. Art knows no bounds and provides a sense of freedom. There are no limits to what you can draw or paint.

 

The History of Blue

Blue is an amazing color. During the Renaissance, blue was incredibly expensive. Michelangelo couldn’t even afford to buy his own supply of ultramarine blue. According to Victoria Finlay in her amazing book Color, he was unable to finish an alter piece without the color which he needed for the Virgin’s robes. The painting was never completed because Michelangelo ran out of time, waiting for a wealthy patron to come up with the money for the coveted color. At that time, and to this day for fine art paints, that particular color blue is made from the mineral Lapis Lazuli, mined primarily in Afghanistan. The mineral was very difficult to come by, making the color extremely valuable. Makes you rethink what it means to be blue.

The Charm of Handmade

As technology increases its critical role in our lives, having beautiful handcrafted elements around the home will become more desirable. Nothing can compare with the richness and charm of things made-by-hand. Valspar actually has a 2008 trend palette, Artisan, which reflects the colors found in these works. These colors were very popular during the Arts and Crafts movement that followed the Industrial Revolution. Just as they do now, people were looking for a way to connect with handcrafted work. One combination that provides a sense of handmade is Valspar Florentine Clay, Fragrant Coriander and Ocean Voyage. This particular combination has a feel of the Southwest. Look around your own home and see what handmade things inspire you.

 

The Corn Poppy Comes to Life

This blog is written by Beehive Studios designer Veronique Habermann.

Vera Wang’s Fall/Winter ‘08 collection had the most sophisticated combination of colors. She said she was inspired by the Dutch Fauvist painter, Kees Van Dongen. It is amazing how she was able to translate his color sensibility into her collection. I particularly love the way she paired the light red skirt with a camel top and a most beautiful shade of brown jacket...it reminded me of Kees Van Dongen's painting, “The Corn Poppy." She also has a long chartreuse dress that is just stunning. It’s a very beautiful collection and classic in the choice of colors for this time of the year.

On the other end, Marc Jacobs showed a very daring palette for this time of the year.  In contrast to his Marc by Marc Jacobs line, here he showed almost no black.  Instead he replaced it with an array of grays, from lightest to charcoal, and accessorized it with jewel tones, browns or pastels. It is a very interesting collection color-wise. It is unusual, but somehow works beautifully. I love the return of the pastels. He shows the most delicious peach sorbet coat with a pale grey feather hat - very elegant.