November 2021

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published November 2021 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Mag

​​The glow of red, orange and yellow energizes our pace and quickens our hearts as we are amazed by the opulence and beauty of the falling leaves. From the soft, deep greens of summer to a fiery rich palette, autumn has woken us up and captured our attention once again! Ordinarily, I find it a bit overwhelming to paint with these hot colours, but what artist, or nature lover for that matter, can resist such colour urgency!

​So, why do we sit up and take notice when presented with these hues? The answer lies in the energy of each colour. Light is the only energy we can see, and we see it in the form of colour.  Each colour has its own wavelength and frequency and has the power to stimulate our biochemical systems. Light from the sun enters our eyes and activates our hormones which produce a myriad of nurturing and nutrient effects on our bodies. The colour red excites the physical body with vitality, and courage. Orange arouses our emotions, filling us with optimism and happiness. Yellow kindles our intellect, creating clarity and self-esteem. We feel motivated, gain new purpose and experience restored joy in our lives. These three colours alone can lift our senses and improve our physical, emotional, and mental health. Just in the nick of time of course, as we glide through this dazzling symphony into the seasonal calm of blue-grey days and winter whites. Then nature will take us full circle, back to the fabulous colour parade of spring.

There is nothing static about nature because it is all about change. It’s time to embrace the healing qualities of red, orange and yellow paint on my palette and reap the benefits of nature’s gift of colour energy. Happy Painting!

---