I love the colors and the richness of the hues of autumn, from browns, to oranges, yellows and gold. I painted “Autumn Splendor” on archival, cotton fiber paper using mixed media, acrylics, and oil pens. I used an abundance of orange in this painting as well as an assortment of yellows and golds. I also used a generous amount of white for additional brightness and contrast, as well as spots and dots to achieve the dappled, rhythmic atmosphere of autumn. The color orange, is quite dominant in this painting and stands out in the same way as it often does in nature and of course, in autumn.
Here is a tidbit for you: Did you know that the color we refer to as orange was named after the fruit orange in the early 1500s? The fruit actually, had originated in China in about 314 BC. It is a symbolic color of Buddhism and Hinduism, the national color of the Netherlands and the House of Orange. It is the orange-red found within coral and the color within the gem Fire Opal – the other colors being yellow and brilliant scarlet. In many cultures, orange represents spiritual transmutation – a changing of a state of being.
Most of my paintings change their state of being as well, that is, they, too, transmute, into other forms. They transfigure, indeed, into all manner of homeware and clothing and it is fun for me to see their various transfigurations. The original art looks quite stunning on clothing, for example such as on tops and pants, mainly yoga leggings and leisure pants. Please check out my Autumn Splendor art inspired leggings on my Etsy shop and browse all the other apparel inspired by my original, abstract art. I know you’ll enjoy these items that can’t be found in brick-n-mortar stores.
Speaking about pants, here is another tidbit for you: Did you know that pants for women in the 1920s – about a hundred years ago – were known as knickers? They were worn as sportswear and were quite somber in color – grey or shades of light or darker browns. They were worn with knee-high socks, and lace-up Oxford shoes. In fact, it wasn’t until 1923 that the Attorney General said it was acceptable for women to wear pants . Would he have approved of the glorious, resplendent colors we wear today?