Fresh Colours (Thinking of Spring)

These freshly-bought paint colours remind me of two things: spring; and my old colour diary series. Photo: Kim Lee Kho 2015

Visited the art supply store recently and bought a little paint – from a cheap and cheerful line I often recommend to students. Instant colour therapy!

We've had such a cold, snowy winter, and I think my subconscious must have been longing for spring as I surveyed the store display.

When I brought the paint home and set it out on the table, I was reminded of my old Colour Diary series from 2009. It struck me that this row of tubes was like an instant, mini version.

The Colour Diary was an almost-daily practice I started in order to isolate the mixing, painting and combining of colours from the making of any sort of image or really from trying to “make a painting” at all. 

In total I painted about 80 of these Diary “entries”. Six are pictured here (above right), and if you click on one it will link you to a larger image and an album of the 50+ I've documented so far.

It was a fantastic thing to do and helped me become much braver with colour, more experienced as well as to overcome a few colour prejudices. Maybe this will be the year I add to my Diary... I keep meaning to!

The Colour Diary was an almost-daily practice I started in order to isolate the mixing, painting and combining of colours from trying to “make a painting” at all.