Color and Emotions

Color is a powerful influence in our everyday lives whether we are aware of its power or not. When we enter a room or see an object for the first time, our minds register its color before any other detail. The 7,000,000 colors our eyes can see are like words that form a patois of mood, energy and insight. Color can exert a gentle effect on the mind and body, influencing our dispositions and our physical health. It has the ability to trigger our emotions, affect the way we think and act, and influence our attitudes. Advertisers and color psychologists know the power of colors well, we would all do well to become as savvy. We unconsciously respond to the color of the walls in our homes, cars, clothing, and the food we eat based on our bodies' natural reactions to certain colors and the psychological associations we have formed around them. The consequences of the decisions to paint a room or wear a specific article of clothing goes beyond aesthetics! Egyptian and Green physicians, including the father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, used different colored ointments and salves as remedies. They also practiced their medicinal craft in treatment rooms painted in healing shades. The Arab physician Avincenna systematized the teachings of Hippocrates in the 9th century. He wrote about color both as a symptom of disease and as treatment. He suggested, for example, that red acts as a stimulant on blood flow while yellow reduces pain and inflammation as well as depression. We are drawn to the color we need, such as a lively red when exhausted. Blues, greens and violets soothe us when we need rest and healing. Notice the colors of fast food restaurants when you next visit them. Red, orange, and yellow are somewhere in the color scheme. These warm colors speed up our production of digestive juices, urging us to eat fast. In a tony restaurant when quick turnover of diners is not desired, the colors will be soothing and relaxing. Candlelight adds to the ambiance of the location. NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS OF NOTE Georgia O’Keeffe November 15, 1887 1 William Merritt Chase, 1849 2 James Lesesne Wells, 1902 2 Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin, 1699 3 Benvenuto Cellini, 1500 3 Walker Evans, 1903 3 Loïs Mailou Jones, 1905 6 Alois Senefelder, 1771 7 Francisco de Zurbarán, 1598 8 Charles Demuth, 1883 10 William Hogarth, 1697 11 Paul Signac, 1863 11 Édouard Vuillard, 1868 11 Claude Clark, 1915 12 Auguste Rodin, 1840 13 Wilmer Angier Jennings, 1910 14 Claude Monet, 1840 15 Georgia O’Keeffe, 1887 15 Wayne Thiebaud, 1920 15 Miriam Schapiro, 1923 17 Isamu Noguchi, 1904 18 Louis Jacques Daguerre, 1787 19 Nicholas Poussin, 1594 21 René Magritte, 1898 23 José Clemente Orozco, 1883 24 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864 26 George Segal, 1924 28 William Blake, 1757 28 Morris Louis, 1912 30 Gordon Parks, 1912 30 Sam Gilliam, 1938  Remember to click on the name to find out more about these artists. If your birthday coincides with one of these artists, you may find you have more than a birthdate in common with him or her. Other dates  to enjoy: Roy Rogers' birthday Nov. 5th,  Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 6th, The Frost Moon is full on Nov. 10, Veterans' Day is Nov. 11, Abigail Adams's birthday was Nov. 22, wnjoy Thanksgiving on the 24th, and last, but by no means least, Mark Twain's birthday is the 30th.