In her latest newsletter, Watermill painting tutor Mary Padgett has been sharing her thoughts about the colour purple. She tells us: “Purple is a color I frequently use in shadows. Depending upon the surrounding hues, it can read as either a warm or cool, with either its red or blue component more apparent.â€
Mary says that when The Pantone Color Institute announced its colour of the year for 2022 as a purple, Very Peri, she was reminded of how purple is loaded with symbolism and analogy: “Purple can communicate royalty and aristocracy, spirituality and mysticism, suggest mystery and the unconscious, imply creativity and inspiration, and be associated with mourning and death.â€
Pantone used rather flamboyant ‘purple’ prose to explain their choice: “We are living in transformative times. Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through. As we emerge from an intense period of isolation, our notions and standards are changing, and our physical and digital lives have merged in new ways. Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression.â€
Mary says: “Pantone’s color choice is based on varied research and trend analysis, they’re predicting what society will find appealing. Their selection then influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries as well as product packaging and graphic design. In the past twenty-two years Pantone has selected various purple hues three times as Color of the Year.
“Purple, with its combination of red’s stimulation and blue’s calm, is versatile and that can explain Pantone’s choices. From an artist’s perspective I agree with Ralph Lauren who said “Black is not as good as purple.â€
No doubt we will be playing with some purple pastels on Mary’s painting week at the Watermill this spring. Her course is currently fully booked, but there are often cancellations, so if you’d like to come and join us, please let us know and we will put you on a waiting list.
Mary Padgett
30 April – 7 May 2022 Course full, Waiting list open
Pastels (and other portable materials) en plein air
To learn more about Mary and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.