Sunspots

Colors influence moods and feelings.  Red = excitement.  Blue = calm.  Yellow = happy.  Green = envy (just kidding).  Lines and shapes influence us also, although it seems we're less aware of that influence.  Horizontal lines = relaxed.  Jagged lines = excitement.  Diagonal lines = movement.  Dots = buoyant.

One of my how-to art books has a small picture of brightly colored spots.  The picture appealed to me and inspired me to paint Sunspots.  The appeal of the little picture, sort of a feel-good thing, carried over to the painting.  It wasn't until I finished the painting that I fully realized the mysterious appeal of the colors and shapes wasn't really mysterious at all.  Anyway, I'm now more aware of color and shape influence than I used ter was. 

Sunspots

Acrylic on Canvas,  18" x 24"

December, 2012

I'm something of a 2-year old, always asking, 'Why?'  Why the feel-good?  Is it the obvious - they remind me of balloons and lollipops - or is it something much more deeply ingrained?  I'm inclined to think it's the latter, maybe dating back to our hunter-gatherer days when those shapes and colors meant fruits and berries, food that was easy to get and easy to eat.

"What's for dinner tonight, honey?"

"I was thinking either fruit or saber tooth tiger steaks."

"Aw gees, I'm tired, had a long day, just not up to battling one of those nasty, stinking cats.  Then you gotta skin the darn thing, cut it up, pound the living crap out of it until it's chewable, heat the BBQ rock for a couple hours. Let's go with the fruit."