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Author: Kathy

Teal: The Color of Excellent Taste

Posted in Musing About Art

Teal: The Color of Excellent Taste

I'm always fascinated by the colors I see in nature. Pinks and purples in a sunset, metallics on a pigeon, pearly iridescent inside an oyster shell, blues of the sky and sea.  Today I'm looking at one of the colors of this Fall – Winter season – Deep Teal. (1)  It is one of the Pantone colors of the season.

Color of Teal

Teal…green-blue…..blue-green…?  Teal is a mix of green and blue, but is considered to be a Green. If more blue is mixed in, it becomes a Teal Blue and moves in to Turquoise family.  Confusing isn't it?!  It is one of those colors, like mauve, that is a combination of two colors and everyone has their own perception of what the color is. I always ask a customer who wants teal, if they are thinking of a teal green or a teal blue.

So where did the color teal come from?

Teal emerged on the scene in 1917!  That's the date it was first recorded as a color name in English. (2) But let's go back further – where did the color teal come from?  

Green-winged Teal

Photo credit: Cornell Lab of Ornoithology

This duck is called a Teal. In fact, here is a  whole group of ducks known as Teals. This fellow above is a Green-winged Teal.  The color name teal comes from the green stripe of color on his head.

So what is the color psychology of Teal?

"Cool and constant, teal indicates stability and resistance to change. If teal is your favorite color, you are a sensitive individual, and have excellent taste. Optimistic and trusting, you have a high degree of faith and hope, easily trusting others." (3) Sounds like a terrific choice of color!
 

1 -http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20834&ca=4

2 -Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 205; color sample of Teal: Page 101 Plate 39 Color Sample L7

3 – http://www.sashasouzaevents.com/publish/psychology-of-color-7a236/

New York Harbor From The Torch Cam

Posted in Reference Photos

New York Harbor From The Torch Cam

While doing a little research on the Statue of Liberty post, I discovered another great cam – The Torch Cam!  This cam is right on on the Torch and started operating on Oct. 28,2011. If you are a displaced New Yorker, a lover of boats, ferries and the sound of water, or just love New York  – this is the cam for you! It is high up the our lady Liberty's torch and has a terrific view of much of the harbor and the cityscape. I just love the sound of the boat horns, the lapping waves, and the seagulls. At night you can see the Brooklyn Bridge, the passing ferries,and buildings all lit up like Christmas decorations.

Statue of Liberty Torch Cam

Earth Cam - Statue of Liberty Torch Cam

Photo from Earth Cam Novermber1, 2011

I don't paint many cityscapes, but the Torch cam is a great reference if you do. If you paint boats, this is great for watching the movement and size comparison of the many boats that use the harbor.  Be sure to click on the panorama button for a wider view of the Harbor.

Some New Paintings

Posted in Art Work

Some New Paintings

New paintings in the Etsy shop  this week. 

For my local customers, I am also working on new mini paintings for the Mall gallery. I will be adding new ones each week.

These new paintings can be found at my Etsy shop

White poinsettias SibStudio at Etsy.com

White Poinsettias

White Lilies SibStudio at Etsy.com

White Lilies

Radishes by SibStudio at Etsy.com

Radishes    This is the second painting in my Kitchen Art Vegetable series.  More in this series to come!

Twenty Four Hour Difference

Posted in Reference Photos

Twenty Four Hour Difference

What a difference 24 hours makes! Friday I was taking photos of the trees nearby. The leaves were just beyond their peak of fall color and I wanted to grab a photo before I missed it completely. Twenty hours later…..SNOW!

Before and during October snow

October snow, before and after photos

The  3 inches of sloppy slushy snow has melted and everything looks like the first photos. Even the bushes that looked like someone stepped on them have bounced back.  If you experienced the October snow, hope you have bounced back to normal as well!