From deep darkness, we move on to deep blue. This is one of a nature lovers' favorite colors. Naturally! It's the sky. It's the sea. In between those two vast spaces is a world of freedom!

Blue, in moderation, can inspire tranquility. There are scientific studies that have shown the color blue can encourage the mind and body to produce chemicals (dopamine & serotonin) that calm and relax you.

Not all blues are made equal, however. Ride along the color wheel to the bright, bold almost neon section and the feeling of blue changes. It becomes more energetic and less natural.

Like all good things, too much blue can throw off the balance of this cool color. Too much blue can tip you past those tranquil feelings into the unhappy realm of negativity and sadness. Let's go back to nature for an analogy.

Blue's effect on you ranges from enjoying the ocean with your feet in warm sand, to being lost at sea on a tiny raft. All that sky and blue water is beautiful, but it definitely is less so when there's no escape from it.

That said, I'll finish up by saying my hat goes off to the artists that find balance in our favorite colors!

    Let me start by saying that black is not really a color in itself. That is without going into the debate of true black, light versus pigments, and all that jazz!

Black is, essentially, the darkest value of any color. Pop open any paint program and bring up the paint pallet. No matter the color picked out of the wheel, the values range from white to black.

That is quite an analogy for life! But we aren't here to talk philosophy. I would be here all day (or night). No, today let's address the elephant in the room and ask, why are there so many negative connotations associated with the far end of the color spectrum?

It is a visceral feeling that has been with all us humans since day one on this blue marble we call home. Our ancestors out in the wide world with only a few rocks and sticks to fend off the darkness. When we peer into the dark there may be something peering back.

Yet, there is nothing so bold as the definitive brush stroke in dark paint. It doesn't blend easily. Keeping it from dominating everything else around it is even harder. Sometimes a body just has to embrace those ancient fears and use them to make something extraordinary; something eye catching!

Next time you get a glimpse of art using a splash of Negative Noir, imagine the decision that was made before the brush hit canvas; before the bristles even touched paint! Better yet, ask the artists about it. You may just hear a fascinating tale you weren't expecting...

Good day in January, artists! I hope the cool months have been treating you well.

I would like to kick off this series on color with a post with the artists in mind. And, with artists in mind, remind everyone that the deadline for the 2020 Art in the Wilds show is March 1, 2020. As always, you can find information and a link to the application here! Or navigate your way to he Artist Info page here on the AIW website.

Now, let's get down to that burning question about the tents. I will admit, in a moment of foolishness, thought the plain white tents were a bit boring. They're all the same! Where's the appeal? Where's the flair? After the bout of foolishness passed, the answer was obvious. Right before my eyes it stood. The tent sheltering someone's beautifully crafted art. You forget the tent is there when you're inside. Your eye isn't drawn to the white background. They're darting up, down, left, and right trying to take in all the details of the artwork.

The tent is no tent, I will declare now. It is a blank canvas and I look forward to seeing how the artworks being sold are used to create a unified art piece to decorate that empty space. The best example still in my mind was one of last year's metalworkers, Anthony Arkus. There was a fine circular floral showpiece hanging on the back wall, on that blank white space, with the sun highlighting the polished metal surface.

The tent doesn't need flare on it when there's flare inside! How will you utilize that blank canvas in the 2020 show? I can't wait to find out!