Colorful people who brighten our world...

So the universe itself emerged from an explosion of light and a parade of colors. Not only are we part of that parade, but we have all contributed to it in many ways!

Before the 1800s, bright colors for art and manufacturing were rare and expensive. Only kings and queens wore vivid reds and blues made from crushed bugs or rare minerals. Then the Industrial Revolution changed everything. Chemists created the first synthetic dyes—bright, cheap, and washable. Suddenly, ordinary people could wear purple dresses, hang green curtains, and tie red ribbons.

Color went from luxury to everyday joy.

A World of Artists

We’re all artists in our own way. We choose our clothing, and even select which color markers to use for writing notes. Some of us paint, and we all decorate our spaces. Throughout history, artists and painters didn’t wait for science to find colors to use; they created their own!

In the 19th century, artists like J.M.W. Turner mixed mineral oil paints that glowed with fiery yellows and oranges. Later, Impressionist and Post-impressionist painters, (Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh) used vivid new tube paints to depict sunlight!

In the 20th century, color leaped off the canvas and into our homes. In 1953, the first color television broadcasts arrived. Engineers figured out how to mix red, green, and blue light into millions of shades on a glowing screen. Movies joined: Technicolor turned black-and-white epics into dazzling spectacles (think The Wizard of Oz’s ruby slippers). Color wasn’t just decoration; it told stories and pulled heartstrings

The Modern Psychology of Color

Then, advertisers, marketers, and even governments discovered how to utilize what artists have always known: color affects how we feel. Red can speed your heart and make you hungry (hello, fast-food logos). Blue calms and builds trust (banks and hospitals love it). Green says “natural and healthy,” orange says “fun and affordable.”