COUNTRIES IN COLOR

 Looking back at photos from a trip to Italy, I fell in love with Tuscany colors again. Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umbre, Burnt Unbre, and Yellow Ochre, are the subtle colors that make up the earth around Tuscan towns. The clay from that earth forms the bricks of the buildings, the ingredients in the paint are used to create murals, and these colors radiate a soft light throughout the region.

While in Asissi, we walked into an old building under reconstruction and I took photos of a small space where the workers had left their tools and supplies. Even these carried the Tuscan colors.

I think of other places that I have been and remember the colors of the places. I think of the rich greens, dark brown earth, white birch bark, and iron red soil of Minnesota. I'm reminded of the vibrant reds, blues, and greens topped with gold, that can be seen in Thailand. Growing up in the Los Angeles basin, we could wander into the desert of LA with its greys, soft light browns, and sage green, with touches of white and yellow.

In Japan, we noticed how beautiful the black, grey, and shades of white became when it rained. Small amounts of red punctuated the more somber colors. These colors often are used by artists, including me,  in Japanese-style brushwork.

In Norway, strong, dark colors with metallic shine made me aware of the strength of the land.

Sketch of the waterfall at Skulestad

 In Arizona, a desert different from Los Angeles, the colors are more vibrant, especially the sunsets, with deep, rich reds, pinks, and purples.

Not every place brings out memories of the colors of the place. But some do. Where have you been where the colors are a good memory of the place?