Colour, a constant companion of nearly all forms of life on this earth, has, like other great forces, potentials of good and evil.
Since its influence is manifested largely through the sense of sight, the power of colour is most effective when this sense is keen.
But seeing anything involves more than looking at it. Such perception is a mental process, which for most of us requires conscious effort. After a period of...training, the average individual can see that which he looks at. The colour of life then takes on a new meaning.
(The Colour of Life , A.G.Abbott, MacGraw, 1947, various pages)
Deracine pays homage to current marketing ploys- both subtle and cynical. Questioning how product is sold, whether there are boundaries in what can be used to market product, and the worth in aligning yourself with a branded philosophy.
Nature is the supreme colorist, the moody master of harmony. For most of the tiny creatures who move about the earth’s surface she provides a continuous performance with her colors. She paints her moving pictures in miniature as well as on a grand scale; but size is always impressive and the average observer is likely to be more moved by her grand effects. No uncommon intelligence is needed for the enjoyment of nature’s “works of art,” but enjoyment can be increased by some degree of understanding.
The colors displayed by insects, fish, birds, beasts, and human beings have either one or both of two causes: (1) the presence of color-forming chemical matter in or among the cells (pigment) and (2) the structure and arrangement of surface tissues. That is, a body can convey a sensation of color either because it has a pigment deposited on or near its surface or because it has a surface which is devoid of pigment but which breaks up the light irregularly, or because of both conditions.
Color, a constant companion of nearly all forms of life on this earth, has, like other great forces, potentials of good and evil. It is our privilege, perhaps our duty, to learn to use it for good as much as possible. Woven into our modern civilization in such a way as to be an integral part of it, color can be taken for granted, but it cannot be ignored. The sudden removal of all color would produce chaos until vast readjustments were effected, not only in human affairs but in those of almost all other creatures associated with man.
Since its influence is manifested largely through the sense of sight, the power of color is most effective when this sense is keen. The faculty of seeing, in normal individuals, can be cultivated and sharpened by mental concentration and practice. It is a real pleasure to see a dramatic sunset, a colourful chorus on the stage, or a beautiful flower. But seeing anything involves more that looking at it. Such perception is a mental process, which for most of us requires conscious effort. After a period of self-training or, better, of completely guided training, the average individual can see that which he looks at. The color of life then takes on a new meaning. It ceases to be just another inescapable factor of existence and becomes one of the most pleasurable and constantly thrilling experiences of life.
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