Black

This image is available on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/262598355363?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

What came to mind when you read the title to this blog entry?
All colors in every culture have meaning. The meaning may vary from culture to culture but every color has some sort of meaning and creates imagery in our minds when we talk about it.
Technically, black is not a color. It is the combination of all colors when dealing with pigments or the absence of color when dealing with light...but that is another topic for another time. Right now, we want to focus on this label we mistakenly call the color 'black' and for the purpose of this article, I will reference it as a color.
Every color has both a positive and a negative meaning. In the American culture, black is the color of sophistication. We have "black tie" events where people dress up in black suits or tuxedos and gowns and behave in a proper manner.  Black is also the color of death. It is the chosen color for funerals and some people see black as depressing. It is important to note that in some cultures black is not the color of death - white is the color of death. (White is also not a color - but we'll save that for another time.)
This shade or color we call black has some interesting properties when viewed by the human eye. Notice the image above when it is on a white background and when it is on a black background.

• Which image advances and which image recedes? 
• Which image seems more colorful?
• We are looking at the same image but the background influences how we see it.

If you've ever glanced at an artist's portfolio, you might have noticed the images are usually presented on black pages. Since the pigment black contains all the colors of the rainbow, black will naturally make the colors in an artist's work look brighter and more vibrant.
Using and knowing the benefits of each color and shade will help enhance a work of art and even control how we see the image.

Cheap Trellis

 

As I say good bye to summer and think of all the things I've managed to get done while the weather is good, the one thing that makes me the happiest is the growth...especially the growth I can help co-create with nature. This is a simple way to create a trellis for vines. All you need is a branch and a wall. I usually ask the tree trimmer maintenance for a couple of branches when they come out to trim the neighborhood trees. They are more than happy to oblige since they have to carry off all kinds of dead branches. I like to spray paint these branches shades of green so they are barely visible. This also protects the branch from termites. The climbing vine follows the shape of the branch so you can create all kinds of different shapes just by the type of branch you choose. This is a cluster of Okra, Aloe Vera and string beans growing together in a little patch of soil on my patio. There's even a bell pepper poking out at the bottom. Thank you summer!