Do you know Roy G. Biv? You might remember him from high school General Science class. He’s the mnemonic we learned in order to remember the colors of the rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. “My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky”, said Wordsworth – so says everyone, of course. We all thrill watch of that awesome sight. We all love colors. In these days of digital photography, high definition TV, and the internet, color almost explodes around us. It has become very important in our homes, gardens, and workplaces.
Color is very significant to all of us, and we react intuitively to it. In western culture there is almost universal agreement on certain colors evoking specific states of mind. Red is, of course rage – we “see red”, and it is associated with blood and sin: The Scarlet Letter comes to mind. Someone is said to be “green with envy” or “yellow bellied” – not very nice associations. A whole school of music is devoted to the Blues. Have you ever heard of someone being in a “brown study”? He’s in deep thought or even daydreaming.
Then there is the ominous “black as death.” Curiously though, where westerners choose black as the color of mourning, white is the color chosen in the Orient. Easterners intuitive sense and use of colors is usually quite different than those of the west. Purple is the color of royalty in the west, yellow in the east. Europeans don’t use colors to represent the directions, but the south, just one of the four directions, is seen as yellow by the Maya, red by the Chinese, and white by Native Americans.
Science doesn’t know when we first gained it, or even when we lost it, but some say we still have the ability to see auras in other people. The colors seen as auras differ in meaning from both the eastern and western associations, with the exception of the colors gold and pink. A golden yellow aura or halo, seen in paintings and icons and other depictions of holy people, signifies spiritual achievement, joy, and even a great intellectual ability. Pink is pink everywhere you go: a happy, balanced state of being, being “in the pink.”
SHOW YOUR COLORS
Throughout history, in so many different ways, it became important to “show your colors”. From times when very few if any of the people were literate, various color systems, used along with significant symbols, were devised to let them know who was who and what was what. It is so interesting a subject that the theory and study of how cultures communicate with color, signs, and symbols has developed into a formal field of academic study. Heraldry and symbolism told a tale. Colors and crests, plaids and patterns distinguished one side from the other in combat. Today’s street gangs know the importance of colors. Liturgical colors used on vestments reminded the people of the upcoming events to be celebrated. Standard symbols on great stained glass windows told stories to people who couldn’t read.
Say “show your colors” to an American and they’ll think of red, white and blue. Is it any wonder that we are partial to flags showing these same colors? Think of the flags of England, France, Norway, or Holland. I really like the flag of Nepal – it’s red, white, and blue, but it isn’t flag shape. And how ‘bout that Lone Star flag of Texas? The designers of the Olympic flag diplomatically joined five rings, symbols of unity, one for each continent, and colored blue, yellow, black, green, and red. At least one of those colors appears on every national flag.
My earliest, favorite, happiest association with color, and perhaps yours too, was with a box of crayons – Crayola, naturally. Just the smell of a box of crayons today brings back all sorts of memories, especially the times when my first grade teacher chose me to help give out the crayons for art period. I am still the proud owner of my own 48 count box of Crayolas. I say “my own” because I keep another, well used box of crayons for my grandchildren. Heaven forbid they touch my box!
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