04 July 2010

Blue....

Blue.... I'm thinking blue..
Lady of the Lake

Blue pigments include: azurite, ultramarine, cerulean blue, cobalt blue, Prussian blue.

Blue Words:

These words are synonymous with blue or represent various shades of the color blue.
Sapphire, azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, sky blue, baby blue, robin's egg blue, cyan, cornflower blue (my favourite), midnight blue, slate, steel blue, Prussian blue.

In the English language, blue often represents the human emotion of sadness - feeling blue.
It can represent happiness and optimism too, clear days with blue skies for example.


Opsit Kersie

The Throat chakra is represented with the colour blue and is associated with communication. Maybe that is why I was thinking (not feeling) blue ... I needed to write something for my blog.

Lapis lazuli a blue stone/crystal so is Aquamarine, Amethyst, Sapphire, Blue Tourmaline. Labradorite, Sodolite and Celestite which helps to enhance peacefulness and mental clarity.

And

Blue is also attributed with mystical and spiritual qualities.


Goddess of water


In many different cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, it brings peace, or is believed to keep the bad spirits away. I have always have a blue door as an entrance to my house or studio.


Music

"The Blues" originated way back, it was musical and poetic.

"The Blues are the essence of the African American laborer, whose spirit is wed to these songs, reflecting his inner soul to all who will listen. Rhythm and Blues is the cornerstone of all forms of African American music." I love the Blues and especially the influence it had on so many of our modern muso's many of whom are my favourites. Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Rolling stones, Keb Mo and Tajmahal to mention only a few. If you have a look at my paintings you’ll see why I love this kind of music, it too influences me.


"Blue Moon" is a classic song, and I love Bob Dylan's version from the album 'Portraits'. It was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934.



The Moon

It is associated with the feminine.
It has romantic, mystical and magical qualities..
"Once in a blue moon" a saying meaning that things happening occasionally.
A blue moon can refer to the third full moon in a season with four full moons, or the second full moon of a calendar month.


Positive blue and Negative blue



Positive blue
  • True blue - someone loyal and faithful
  • Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative)
  • Blue ribbon - first rate, top prize
  • Blue blood - person of noble birth, royalty
  • Bluestocking - well-read or scholarly woman( new one to me)
  • Bluebook - register of socially prominent people ( I thought there was only a Little Black book, just shows you what a little research does.)
  • The Blues - popular style of music sometimes characterized by melancholy melodies and words
  • Blue eyes - my favourite colour eyes- my mom, my girls and my husband!


Negative blue


  • Feeling blue - feeling sad
  • Blue devils - feelings of depression
  • The blues - depression, state of sadness
  • Blue Monday - we've all had one of those.
  • Baby blues -postpartum depression- as mom's we all know what this is.
  • Singing the blues - bemoaning one's circumstances
  • Blue laws - laws originally intended to enforce certain moral standards
  • Blue language - profanity
  • Bluenose - puritanical individual
  • Into the blue - entering the unknown or escape to parts unknown
  • Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative)


So what's this got to do with art?


Well in all my years of being an artist I have noticed that blue paintings are difficult to sell especially here in South Africa. Maybe it's because blue paintings don't match the couch. (Ouch) I wonder if this is the case elsewhere in the world. I was once told by a Gallery owner that I must paint more brown paintings for the Exhibition, I did and they sold!

I love painting in blue, the colour lends itself to blending with green and purple it contrasts so beautifully with orange and red. When I paint my Spirit paintings and the clients element is water (Cancer, Pisces or Scorpio) the paintings are predominantly blue. But this is different because this is the colour that their souls respond to, it doesn't have to match anything other than their Spirit.