Yellow is for Golden Sunlight

So it is with a sense of relief  that after all that rain last night , the sun is out and we have some yellow to start the week with . Its no surprise that people feel better about life when the sun is out. Yellow is the primary colour that we associate with optimism, enlightenment and happiness. It can be used as  a gentler version of the positive red to change your mood or your environment for the better.

I have a yellow hallway which is a sunny entrance and supposed to encourage luck and wealth! I used to work for a very supersitious Hungarian Jew who placed gold coins above the studio entrance door mantle to encourage luck. I must admit that when we relaid our deck a couple of years ago I placed gold coins in the cement of our Feng Shui wealth corner ( top left ).

Yellow is globally the colour we associate with positivity and wealth.  In Japan it is associated with courage, in India with peace and in China with royalty and respect. It is the highlight colour of life. The yellow jersey. The high tinkling notes in music, the golden light of a halo, the colour of spiritual awakening.  The yellow spice of saffron ( made from the dried crocus stamens) is actually more valuable in weight than gold.

Interestingly enough it is also the most tiring colour on the eye as it reflects the most light. You won't be finding many screen savers predominately yellow.

 But yellow has a sinister side too. Think of jaundice, yellow bellied, cowadice, yellow card in soccer, yellow warning flag in a car race, yellow armbands worn by the Jews in concentration camps....... its not all happiness and golden light. Its also the colour associated with deceit and bankcruptcy. I always think there is an irony when all the financial experts on the news seem to wear a predominately gold tie. Which side are they on? Wealth or warning?! Have a look next time and see what I mean!

The Australian landscape is full of ochres, reds and rusts , the colours of the aboriginal flag are true of this big dusty island. My kids like making their own pigments at the beach. You can grind sandstone or rock and charcoal mixing it with water to make a palette fit for any artist. They can dot paint on smooth rocks or  even each other and they wash it all off with one last dip before you go home.

http://www.colourmeart.com/enjoy-colour.asp