When the world is seething...

with death and despair the man in the street and his brother at arms crave for such antonyms as expressed by life and faith: Art provides nourishment for such longings.- Adrian Hill

Colour psychology is the study of how colours influence human behaviour, and it is known that certain colours can evoke specific emotions and perceptions in individuals. In addition, the impact of colour can vary depending on one’s age, gender, and culture. Although colour associations can differ between cultures, preferences towards certain colours are generally consistent across most gender and age groups. Used heavily in marketing and branding, colour psychology extends beyond these areas. It is also applied in therapy, sports, interior decorating and even game design. Carl Jung, a pioneer in this field, believed that "colours were the language of the subconscious mind."

Colour has also been used for centuries as a method of treatment in Ayurvedic (Ranga Chikitsa) and Unani Tibb medicine (Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine"). Known as Chromotherapy to the Ancient Greeks, the Ancient Egyptians and Chinese also used colour as a tool for healing, which is evident in the "Kahun Papyrus" and the "Huangdi Neijing". The German botanist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also published a book in 1810 ("Theory of colours"), exploring their psychological nature and their positive or negative characteristics. Describing the colour yellow as "serene" and the colour blue as a mix of "excitement and repose."

The German neurologist Kurt Goldstein later went on to conduct experiments in 1942, studying the effects of colour on our motor function. Although his research was later criticized, it led to further exploration of the physiological effects of colour. Carl Jung also furthered the study of colour psychology in the 20^th century due to his interest in arts potential use in psychotherapy. Exploring colour symbolism across diverse cultures and time periods, his work has since gone on to significantly influence the modern field of colour psychology, and later art therapy which was fathered by the British artist Adrian Hill.

Previously documenting the horrors of World War I via sketching, Adrian Hill coined the term "art therapy" based on his own experiences using art as a healing tool. Recovering from tuberculosis in 1938 Hill began drawing, painting, and finding comfort in the artistic process while staying at a sanatorium. When occupational therapy was later introduced to the ward, Hill then shared his artistic skills with other patients, noticing that art helped to divert them from their pain and relieve trauma-related stress that came from their ailments. Hill then went on to write his book "Art Versus Illness" (I'd love a copy) in 1945 based on his observations, as well as other books focusing on art methods and techniques, which led to him later hosting a children's television show for the BBC known as "Sketch Club" during the 50s and 60s.

With that I would like to share this illustration with you which has some elements of colour psychology. Titled "No Props", the woman in the painting is holding a mask in her hand that is yellow. When you look at the negative connotations associated with this hue you will find the words cowardice, disloyalty, and egotism. Likewise, the goggle lenses of the mask are a shade of green representing envy, jealousy, and greed. The mask is also speckled with gold glitter playing on my love for idioms and aphorisms.

As the saying goes, “all that glitters is not gold” (Shakespeare), but likely plastic in this case rather than the real deal. Masks in psychology usually symbolise the way that we as people conform to societal expectations, even if it contradicts with who we are on the inside. We are therefore betraying ourselves, by coveting the lifestyle that is force fed to us as normal. We fear the rejection that may come with authenticity, causing us to feel shame towards ourselves and resentment towards others who we perceive are free to be themselves, when they are likely experiencing the same cognitive dissonance. You would goggle at them in surprise if you knew their truth, likely lower your mask, and remove those rose-tinted glasses (as seen on the woman's head), understanding that despite what we see (peacocking and all) not everyone, and everything is perfect.

The frames are also a visualisation of the idiom "looking through blue glasses", which means to have a distorted view of something based on one's preconceived notions or prejudices. Something we do often when we are feeling unsafe and insecure. Now that these props are no longer obscuring her view, you can see her brown eyes. Brown being the colour of stability, dependability and nurturing which is what we feel and how we act when we learn to love and accept ourselves as well as others for who they are.