.Good Monday Morning.  We've been looking at color and how it can be inspirational in your artwork, so today let's look at white.  White is created when all color is reflected and the reflections of the colors give white a whole range of hues. What I mean is, there are a lot of "colors" of white and like many other colors,white can change it's appearance by what is next to it or around it. White absorbs colors as I am sure you all know if you have ever done laundry and washed your whites with something red.  (ha ha.....hate it when that happens!)

Ocracoke lighthouse NC

 There has been much discussion as to what color to paint gallery walls in art galleries because many feel that the starkness to white contrasts too much with the artwork that is to be the main feature.  A more subtle neutral grey is frequently chosen or perhaps an "off white" color.  I mention this because it gives us something to think about when choosing a color for a design wall.

Just look at the stark contrast in this photo of the against the other cool colors.






 White symbolizes purity, cleanliness, innocence, simplicity.  I'm sure you have all heard the term, "Pure as the driven snow",  but even snow is not one "color".  It is bright, blinding light on a sunny day, and a soft cool blue or gray on a cloudy day.


You may wonder why ocean waves always look white when the water may be green or blue or gray.  This is because of bubbles....yes. bubbles.  They may be very tiny and not visible to the naked eye, but they are there in crashing waves and foam and they scatter the wavelenghts of color and come together to form white.

So, let me leave you with an image of something white that is near and dear to our hearts, the cotton boll. You can see that if you are looking for something with strong contrast, place white against something dark.

Cotton Boll

And finally a quote from Leonardo Da Vinci;  "The first of all single colors is white.....We shall set down white for the representative of light, without which no color can be seen:  yellow for the earth; green for water; blue for air; red for fire; and black for total darkness."

As always, if any of you in the VA/NC SAQA region have any shows, exhibits or other information which may interest our members, just let me know!  Thanks.