Do you suffer from Chromophobia?
Did you know that some people suffer from Chromophobia, an irrational fear of colours or a colour? Me? I love it, not just bright, jewel colours but the soft pastels and neutrals too. I also like black and white although scientifically and officially they are not real colours. I enjoy using the whole range in my work from soft greys to quiet blues and greens and on to vivid and joyful warm colours.
These are all available in my website shop and range in price from £95 to £220
Do you believe that there is a direct link between wellbeing in the home and workplace and how our environments are designed? I think the pandemic has underlined this point for many, not that the most beautiful interior in the world can compensate for having to stay at home but it does soften the blow. It's not that I believe that some things are a safe option and that some colour schemes are bold and daring. I believe that it is about what resonates with our own emotions. You are the best judge as you know what makes you happy. Lighting, natural materials and colour all have a part to play in making us feel better or worse. Your interior surroundings have the power to make you feel better.
Art is a fantastic way to bring colour and the natural world into your own environment and often people use a favourite painting as the central focus for a room and use the colours in the painting to influence colour choices for walls and furnishings. We all need to go outside but seeing outside to the natural world can boost productivity, whether through a window or in a piece of art. It can be a focus where our eye may wander in reverie and peaceful solitude, a pathway leading to another place, of dreams and of inspiration. It is not easy to connect with nature if we spend most of our working life inside, especially in the winter so art can help you re-connect. In the last year I have tried to reconnect with the natural world by walking and finding inspiration for my paintings and prints.
Where do these paintings take you?
In fact can you design your way to better mental wellbeing? A freshly decorated room, a spring clean, decluttering or the comfort of being surrounded by treasured personal objects are obvious mood-lifters. Harmony and good design can actually activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps control stress levels. Imagine the psychological benefits of using all of our senses. The smell of natural wood, the soft touch of textured fabrics, the sound of running water, the taste of chocolate and last but not least the sight of a beautiful artwork, well framed and positioned within an interior space.
Who's afraid of PINK?
I'm not. Psychologists believe that it can boost creativity. I think there may be something in that.....
Whether it takes a couple of cushions or a light-filled glass extension to improve your mood, just knowing that the link between happiness and home is a real one is the first step.
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