Friday 24 September 2010

Merry-Go-Round - Flying colours

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.
Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).
If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...
This month's theme:
What is your favourite colour and how does it come into your work?

This is both easy and difficult to answer, I find.

My favourite colour is red. Mostly. And then there's black. Together and separately, they make up my comfort zone.

I look at red and black and I see beauty.

When I reupholster chairs I like, they turn bright red.

When I make a Jag ring for myself, it's deep red (maroon).

When I knit a cashmere jacket— for myself, you bet!— it's deep red again ("merlot", yummy!).

When I want to pick a shirt to wear, long- or-short-sleeved, black and red are the two colours most represented in my "wardrobe".
They are my feel-good colours on any day.

When it comes to creating jewellery, strangely enough, it doesn't really show. If you go through my shop on DaWanda or Etsy, it won't be obvious, I don't think. The necklace in the photo is a rare example. And I recently gave it to someone who had the good taste to like it...

But then I guess that comes from the fact that jewellery, like accessories are small "islands" of colour and texture that you add to your "mainland". They come to complement and compliment your main colours. Well, mine anyway.

So I realize, now you make me think of it, that I have been working with colours I wouldn't have "given the time of day" before. Also colours that I can appreciate and enjoy mixing and playing with, once it is not all about me and my complexion.
I recently made several all-black pieces, but that was because I really needed to take a day-trip to my comfort zone...

My other colour, the colour I just need around me, is green, and you'll definitely find much more of this one in my shop. And in my photos!
Blue is for my dreams...

I've also noticed that when I look at a red bead (plenty of these), a black gem, or a green leaf, or the very green eyes indeed of my cat, with their black eye-liner, I lose all critical sense: I see beauty and I'm dazzled. Probably why I use so little of my many red beads. Mmm. Shame that. I'll have to take another look... ;-)

6 comments:

Mariana said...

what an interesting post! I like red too and I use it a lot, but I hardly wear it!

Sara Millis said...

It's amazing how we gravitate towards certain colours isn't it? I love your use of red and black, although those are colours I don't work with personally much anymore... they are still bold and seductive statements, espeically in jewellery.
Sx

Easterya said...

Red and black, now that's daring!! Fantastic!! Love the idea of bright red chairs too!! I used to wear all colours like a parrot when I was younger, now I've toned down a bit lol, I'll have to try red and black!!

meherio68 said...

Doesn't feel daring— must be it fits my aggressive-secretive personality so well... ;)

Mitsy / ArtMind said...

I wish I dared wearing more red. I love the color but somehow i always feel it attracts attention so I'm hesistant to wear it. I love red accents too.

Ruth said...

I love your comment about when you look at certain color, you lose all critical sense! Me too! If it's lime green I have to really stop and think "is it actually nice" or am I just enjoying the color! PS Glad you mentioned Merlot too - as that's what we grow!!!