blog @ Sci\ART

People sometimes ask me how I learned so much about the art and science of color. They seem to conjure a vision of me in a classroom for years on end, studying textbooks about theory, art history, chemistry and biology.

That vision is convenient – even flattering – but erroneous. The truth is I have used my research, experience, creativity and determination to develop my own color curriculum. That path was taken not by choice, but because there has been a remarkable unavailability of formal education about color. (Check out this article by Christopher Willard http://www.colormatters.com/willard.html. It was first published 11 years ago, but it accurately portrays the dearth of color education in academia at the time. Sadly, the situation may have actually worsened.)

I was introduced to the illusionary nature of color in a design class. It piqued my interest and I set out to learn more. I was disappointed to find there were no other courses to further my education about color. So, I began my independent research while continuing to work as an artist and as a professional colorist at Munsell. The Munsell Color System, of course, remains the gold standard for color communication, and it is the foundation upon which I began to build my studies about the science of color.

As I developed my own understanding of both the art and the science of color, I gained the confidence to do as my colleagues suggested – teach those who shared my love of color.  And it eventually resulted in my first book, Understanding Your Color — A Guide to Personal Color Analysis, as well as a very unique color curriculum.

By creating a curriculum that always relates color to human being, students who take my color courses are assured that they are the recipients of truly unique training.

My next “Color Mixing and Matching I” course will be held Nov. 14-16 in Homosassa, Florida. Details are available at http://www.coloranalysis.com/category_s/125.htm. If you’re curious about what a significant impact color has on you life, this will be an eye-opening experience. I hope to see you there.

Until then, always remember: When it comes to color, beauty and health are inseparable.