MY COLLECTIONS: COLORS

A series of essays.....

MOUNTAINS, BLUE SKIES, GREEN FIELDS AND SO MANY MEMORIES!

.....as seen through my eyes!






By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


This September, 2018, Dan and I return to visit the Emerald Isle of Ireland along with two wonderful and adventurous friends who have, also, become frequent visitors of this enchanting place. In honor of our trip together to a land that always fills our hearts with joy and stretches the imagination, I am recounting a story I wrote about My Collections. This narrative encapsulates, accompanied by my own photographs, our fourth trip to one of the most magical places on earth. Believe me when I say that Walt Disney World has nothing on Ireland!

Green...

The color green is such a beautiful color to me. And, forty different shades of green certainly describes the Ireland we have come to know and love. Thanking Mr. Johnny Cash for expressing this feeling so beautifully in song....!

THE COIFFURES OF 1960's ROCK & ROLL STARS

Like many occasional visitors to this colorful island, my attention is drawn to the many variations of the color green (my favorite color) when I scan the rich, glossy darkness of green valleys, or the olive tones of unending fields bathed in golden sunlight. The dark green moss clings to, well, just about everything in Ireland, as does the vegetation washing in from the sea, and I am particularly fascinated by the large rocks at the water's edge that look like the coiffures of rock & roll stars, circa 1965.

I am constantly being drawn in by the blue/green hues of an 'ancient forest,' often bisected by a gravelly path that's quietly begging to be explored; its secrets waiting to be discovered around every shadow and each bend.

My eyes absorb the deep purple/green of the expansive shoreline of Ireland's many inland lakes, outlined by volcanic rock washed smooth by foamy waves day after day and resembling a child's coloring book picture outlined in black crayon and accentuating its vast perimeter. Oh, the pure joy of the color green!

Grey...

With my own two eyes, as well as my trusty camera lens, I can attest to many other shades of reflected light (color) that is predominant within the beautiful landscape provided by this amazing island. One can witness sturdy shades of grey and ochre that exemplify the solidity of her many mountains and hills. There are numerous rock walls and ancient structures built by man from this incredibly abundant source of material found above and below the earth's surface.

I see fifty shades of grey, at least, and guarantee a much better 'read' on life than that offered by the best selling book trilogy of the same title! Who isn't enamored by the sight of a quaint stone cottage replete with thatched roof and a weathered, wooden entrance door painted sky blue many years before? Add to this collection of 'living engineering' the astounding construction feats demonstrated by the existence of the many ancient castles, abbeys, and hunting lodges that sweep the Irish countryside. 

Blue...

The color blue fills in the spaces between the white clouds above us, as well as the green fields below. Not only does this rich color surround the land in terms of the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, but its inland lakes offer varying shades of it anywhere from cold, steely greys to cheerful summertime aquamarine with one changing into another within a matter of moments depending upon the sunlight, cloud cover, or rainfall.

We began walking the Newvillage Recreation Area's moderate trail one morning which turned out to be a three and a half mile, cardio-intense gravel walk in the shape of a horseshoe. It meandered through the undulating woods on the outskirts of Oughterard, a small village in Connemara, and we found ourselves within a fairy tale world of canopied vegetation dripping with sparkling raindrops and pierced by sporadic rays of sunlight. 

Stopping to breathe and take it all in, we discovered the soothing sounds of a gurgling stream and crisp, late September leaves crunching under the weight of invisible predators! Navigating the horseshoe bend, we discovered we were elevated high above Lough Corrib that dazzled us with its trail of royal blue water punctuated by contrasting white caps in the distance below. We felt so alive within this harmonious state of sounds and brilliant colors and knew there was no other place we'd rather be at that exact moment in time.

THE VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF
DIAMOND HILL IN CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK

THE GREY OF THE MOUNTAINS AND THE
GREEN OF THE LAND FLOW DOWN TO LOUGH CORRIB

I recall looking out over land and sea from the summit of Diamond Hill, the tallest of the hills making-up the Twelve Bens Mountain Range near the western coast of Connemara. I could catalog the shimmering blue dots of Lough Auna, Nahillion, and Kylemore Abbey far below. My eyes scanned the wider blues of Killary and Ballynakill Harbors that lead out to the darkening depths of the Atlantic. From this height, one can easily observe the harmony between land and water and better understand how masterfully this intriguing island was formed so many years before.

As my husband graciously chauffeured us around and through the colorful and natural beauty of Connemara, I grew to appreciate each and every aspect of the land, hills, and sea. It's a treat for me to look back on my pictures and see how I'd categorized my Collections by their color. I preface each with a color description such as, grey fences, brightly colored boats, crumbling grey houses, and mucky brown bog lands.

BRIGHTLY COLORED BOATS

MUCKY BROWN BOG LANDS

GREY STONE FENCES

CRUMBLING GREY HOUSES

The integrity of each color is heightened and intensified for me when I'm in Ireland. The meandering expanse of the River Shannon becomes the intense blue water of the River Shannon outlined by the bright green grasses along her shoreline. Ireland enhances the senses and allows me to see deeper into the natural beauty of her landscapes, man-made engineering wonders, along with her delightful, colorful, and extremely hospitable people. I, quite naturally, feel at home in Ireland.

My heart wishes to share the color grey with you as I sit here in my home in Florida holding tightly to my souvenir rock I lovingly released from the chilly waters of Lough Corrib. I want to share the color grey with you, yet again, in the form of very personal places lived and loved in by Irish families many years ago and left to decay in harsh weather from season to season as forgotten testaments to what once was....

Within each structure my heart feels the birth of a child and the death of an aging grandparent. I am able to celebrate birthdays in them and understand that marriages were consummated there. From the whitewashed, smoke-laden stone walls, I smell the pungent, acrid odor of thousands of peat fires that kept many of their occupants from freezing to death in the night. I detect the tension of sad, overworked women, mothers, who wait desperately for their husbands to return home with food to feed the young bairns. I listen to the echoes of family discussions bouncing off the walls trying to figure out if they should stay and wait things out, or just pack-up their meager belongings and abandon their birthright for a ticket to Amerikay!

WEDDINGS, BABIES, SMOKE-LADEN STONE WALLS

My emotions exhaust me to my very core. I feel so much life surrounding and from within each structure as if they were still occupied today. I want to know if the inhabitants found time to appreciate the sweet beauty of the world that surrounded them. Or, were they working long and hard just to survive? In fighting for what they needed, did they lose sight of all that they already had? I often wonder....

As modern day visitors of this incredible place called Ireland, and manned with rental car, camera, and sustenance to be found at the nearest restaurant or pub, we can luxuriate within unrestrained time, walk the paths, climb the mountains, fish the lakes, and capture a more simple way of living with each picture and breath we take.

DILAPIDATED MANOR HOMES

A WALL WITH A VIEW

We, as tourists, have been elevated to new heights as we ride along on the 'memory train' that was built and navigated by so many lost souls. May we always live to remember and appreciate all of their long, hard work! Color this one: Sadness in Shades of Blue. 




Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
Photo Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

THE COLOR OF TIME

 A series of essays.....

Waiting For The Magic To Happen.....!

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes



Waking-up in the morning, I wonder....and, attempt to recreate in my mind all of the colors that I thought about, dreamt about while I slept.  Those swirling, magnificent shades of blue and green, with reds that range from 'Valentine's Day Bright' to the fading beauty of a deep, dusty rose.  The blacks.  The whites.  The various shades of gray.

Amazing, glorious color continues to guide me through the day acting as 'trigger mechanisms' releasing the flow of energy, imagination, if you will, that guides my actions and intentions while fueling the desire to be a fully functional and creative human being. 

Color creates moods; color changes moods.  Color evokes memories and, in turn, produces responses from those memories.  Yet, color is timeless. Color is ageless.  It can be yesterday, today or tomorrow and ebb and flow offering irregular outlines that shift like the seas with the tide.

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Color bounces off of solid surfaces, as does light and sound, within its epic lifetime journey and is refracted through a variety of eyes.  How often have you been asked the simple question, what is your favorite color, and hesitate...for a moment, because it's difficult to say just one?  Or, are you enamored of one solid contender?  I have to stop and think each time this question is posed because the lofty blue of the sky might be calling me that particular day...or, forty shades of green are pulling at my heart strings right then or, I am remembering the multiple shades of 'all colors' and 'lack of color' that pronounced my recent dream; the black, white and grays that surround my nocturnal existence.  It is difficult to choose.



This past Tuesday evening my husband and I were blown-away by the Blues/Rock-and-Roll musician, Joe Bonamassa, when he performed in concert at the newly opened Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.  This master guitarist and songwriter performed with two bands, one acoustic and one electric, while showcasing his unique style of European influenced blues.  This magnificent entertainment  was a treat for the senses!  A sterling performance encompassing guitar perfection (at least eight acoustic and an equal amount of electric guitars were played by him) meshed with a dynamic percussion presentation that was beyond my wildest imagination. 




With not a still body in sight, we swooned, clapped, whooped and fell wantonly under the spell cast by the primal rhythms and musical beats that surrounded us under a velvety cloak of bliss.  The stage rolled and swayed from the weight of such unmitigated talent.  The bright lights enveloping all of us sprayed beams of rich, warm color all around the room as they danced rhythmically with the primal beat set-forth by Bonamassa and his band. 

Soft, powdery blues mixed with powerful beams of bright white light spotlighted Joe and turned the stage into an extraterrestrial-like encounter as this eclectic mixture of talented musicians delivered a gorgeously textured, unplugged experience.  At one point, the white illumination resembled sailing ships carrying the music across an imaginary sea and back to Europe, the place which lent its vintage flair to the acoustic blues set.

Like Ships Out At Sea......

The influences behind his second set, with a shift into electronic mode, introduced power in the form of giant beams of red, orange, gold and clean white lights illuminating the band and audience alike.  The capacity to help influence the behavior of others is often emphasized by the use of strong colors and light. It certainly worked for me!

 

Rock-and-Roll

Electronic Mode

Acoustic

Thank you, Joe Bonamassa!!!

Color does evoke memories, some pleasant, others not.  I have mentioned several times before how the deep, luscious reds of velvety rose petals call to mind my Mother's lips.....stained 'happy' for a night out on the town.  I could never pull-off wearing red lipstick for some reason.  Maybe my smile requires a deep shade of pink in order to be effective?  And, a pale mint color reminds me of a baby's layette with sweet thoughts of my youngest brother, Dennis, when he was brought home from the hospital swaddled in this soft shade of green.  Both of my girls wore an ample amount of pale green as babies because of the good feeling it elicited within me. 

I often wore pink growing-up.....and, not always by my choice.  Mom said the color appealed to my skin tone and complimented a slightly ruddy (interesting color word), deep skin shade which reminds me now of my Father.  Ahh!  Shades of pink: Blush, rose fuscia, magenta!  All shades that were memorably worn by my bridesmaids and flower girl in my wedding so long ago!  Today, pink remains such a forgiving color for me....

Yellow.  No.  I really don't know why!  Funny how some colors just do not penetrate the heart.  Maybe someday I will figure this one out!

Blue and every shade of blue imaginable....speaks to me with such power, liberation and sweet contentment.  I am reminded of vacations spent walking the beach for hours upon hours and staring out at the sea, so vast and powerful.  I am standing under a sky so blue it actually hurts my eyes in all its cloudless wonder.  Provençal blue pots containing massive varieties of flowers with colors and scents that overload the senses with their unabashed assaults always decorate my world. 

It is the deepest, darkest blue known to mankind and brings me under its spell, wraps me around its finger and takes my breath away.  It boggles my mind and captures my heart so completely each and every time I see it.  My mood improves just thinking about it.  I know that I am a better person because of it!  I am looking into my children's eyes....my beautiful daughters.  Pools of blue so deep and reflective that it's possible to dream only good thoughts and imagine a positive future within their cool depths.  This blue helps to keep me grounded and always continues to define me in so many constructive ways!

The color of time is a personal journey into the unknown where patches of glorious pigment, real or imagined, adhere to us like neon-bright 'sticky notes' providing directions (good/bad) and inspiration along the way.  We cannot ignore its presence; we can only acknowledge its existence and run with it.  Like a creative adjective, color modifies time and gussies-up our short life spans as we continue to plod along our individual paths.  Color gives us the power to change our world!

What is your favorite color?

Do colors affect your mood?

What is your least favorite color?




Copyright © 2014 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

THOUGHTS ABOUT ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

 A series of short stories.....

My Fairy Tale Dream Home

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Although I appreciate the crisp, clean lines of modern design, I remain, at heart, a lover of the classic style with an emphasis towards rich fabrics, natural wood and stone, crystal fixtures and, dare I say it......columns!  Greek and Roman architecture has always influenced my particular design scope in one way or another.

My fascination with certain colors.....blues, greens, shades of terracotta, grays and pinks, cream......all lend themselves to the classical style.  I can remember receiving a beautiful small porcelain doll for my fourth birthday from my Aunt Lou Lou.  She was young and stylish and carefree and I loved her for all of these reasons.  My precious doll, I named Lou Lou, had long, black hair, ice-blue eyes and crimson lips the exact shade of my Mother's lipstick that I loved so much.  Her tiny straw hat sported an even tinier pink rose above its wide brim and her petite porcelain feet slid into the smallest black velvet slippers I'd ever seen.  However, my delight with Lou Lou's appearance  settled around her lace, satin dress.  The use of color blew me away and I was only four!

The elegant deep cream-colored satin material of the main body of her dress was complimented by crisp, white cotton collar and cuffs that were squared-off and trimmed with the tiniest black velvet ribbon and cream lace.  Clean, simple and sophisticated described her attire! Being so young, I'm certain that I could not have told you why I liked this color combination so much; I could only understand that I did.



Our Front Entrance in Florida

Lou Lou's color palette is incorporated into my life to this day. The color scheme of our Floridian stucco-style home consists of a main body of taupe with arches and a square front column framed by white and the front entrance door is as black as Lou Lou's soft slippers.



Disney's Cinderella Castle

Every little girl believes or is told that she is a Princess at least once in her lifetime and she can't help but fantasize about living in the perfect home.....her castle!  Well, perhaps, her father the King's castle but, nevertheless, her imagination runs wild with the assistance of every Disney Princess holding her hand to guide her along the primrose path towards her personal allusions of grandeur and the eventual handsome Prince to fall in love with. And this, my friends, is every little girls' "rite of passage!"  Given all of this (she says with a sigh), European architecture has greatly impacted my design sense with regard to shape, materials and texture.

In 1990 we made our initial adventure into Europe!  Within the freedom of our rental car, we traversed the countryside passing ancient stone farmsteads surrounded by the sweetness of a newly harvested crop.  Makeshift picnic lunches of bread, cheese and fruit were enjoyed from stone outcrops overlooking the red tiled roofs of small French village homes located deep down in the valley or, while nestled within the gravity-defying hillside vineyards in Germany that majestically outlined the stunning Mosel River far below.



Neuschwanstein Castle as seen from Mary's Bridge

Trudging up the narrow path on our way up to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, located to the south-west of Munich near the town of Fussen and close to the Austrian border, I remembered how this particular castle was purported to be the prototype for Disney's Cinderella Castle.  Making it to the top and being amazed by the grand scale of this magnificent structure, I could fully realize the impact it had on Walt Disney, as well.  His fertile imagination incorporated the magic of Neuschwanstein Castle when he created the 'perfect home' for every little Princess lucky enough to visit Disneyland and Disney World.

We entered the vast cities of Munich, Paris, Bonn and London, falling madly in love with the people, the delicious variety of food and the opportunity to immerse ourselves within the 'energy' that only a vibrant, large city can provide.  Both Dan, a builder by trade, and I  expected to be blown-away by the expressive architecture of each of these grand cities and, we were not disappointed!



Brick Tudor Design

Years before, while attending college at Michigan State University, I would often pass-by the interesting homes flanking West Grand River Ave. linking this beautiful college town with the capital city of Lansing.  This is precisely when my love affair with European-style cottage designs began.  I learned that many of these homes fell under the Tudor Revival Architecture category that frequently employed a variety of materials including stone, brick, stucco and half-timbering.  I recall cascades of pink summer roses adorning the front entrances like aromatic shawls and fig ivy rooting into mortar and snaking along its prey until masses of shiny leaves shrouded the brick facade in a dense coat of living green.



Half-Timbered Tudor Design

While studying the history behind these fabulous structures, I have learned that the "cottage craze" began in America shortly after World War I and continued throughout the 1920's and 1930's. According to Stand-Out Cabin Designs, American soldiers returning from Europe at the end of the war were enamored with the French (and, particularly English) cottages they had seen while traveling abroad.  The ideas and images captured in their minds were subsequently conveyed to American architects, designers and builders who then interpreted and incorporated them in their new home designs.

I was hooked then and have remained so ever since.  Captivated early on by these cozy, European home designs, traveling to Europe to see this cottage style for myself was inevitable.


Stephen Fuller (Architect)

Several years ago the Architect Stephen Fuller of Stephen Fuller Designs near Atlanta, Georgia, attracted my attention because many of his elevation designs and floor plans corresponded with the cottage ideas I admire so much.  His use of several combinations of natural materials such as stone and wood display the profound influence of European architecture.  Though generally not precise copies, his "Americanized" versions are, nevertheless, characteristically picturesque and charming in their own right!  And, why yes, I do have a specific Fuller house plan in mind for any possible future reference....

Order, symmetry and balance.......check;
Fireplace, focal point in room........check;
Natural colors and materials.........check;
And, the use of elegant fabrics.......check and double-check!

Our Indoor Use of Pillars and Arches

That little girl at the age of four had been offered a look into the future through the icy-blue eyes of her favorite doll and instinctively connected how the use of color, texture, shape, light and style would become important factors in her life.  Today, I incorporate all of these ideas whether I am finding the perfect fabric for window treatments, repurposing old cabinetry into a new kitchen design or while taking pictures with my trusty Canon or convenient iPhone camera to be added to my various photo collections.

No matter what your particular style of design might be, sage advice for all of us would be to remember to trust your 'eye' and your instincts and together they are certain to take you on the most amazing adventures!

*What design style have you incorporated into your life?
*Do you have a wide color palette or prefer a white theme?
*Is repurposing items something you enjoy doing?
*if so, what is the last thing you've repurposed?


Copyright © 2014 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

THE POWER OF COLOR

A series of short stories.....





Proudly Displaying Our Nation's Colors:

"The red stands for the sturdy qualities of hardiness and courage.
The white stands for the honest virtues of purity and innocence.
The blue stands for the durable qualities of vigilance, perseverance and justice."

Judy A. Lee




.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Someone once asked me if my 'sense of sight' were to be taken away from me today, what would I miss seeing the most?  With little  hesitation, my reply was......color.

I'm being purely selfish here, however, as an observer of life, I've often thought about losing the ability to listen to the sounds of nature, as well as the man-made world around me.  Or, suddenly relinquishing the power to see the beauty of life that encapsulates every fiber of our being inside the complicated act of light receptors within our eyes.  Color: A property depending on the relations of light to the eye, by which individual and specific differences in the hues and tints of objects are apprehended in vision; any hues distinguished from white or black.  Courtesy of Webster's Dictionary.  Okay, that's as technical as I plan on getting.

 

Usually, I apply my observations towards certain characters that reside in my 'other world' of writing to see how they might react to various trauma and unfortunate circumstances.  I definitely  place myself in a precarious situation in the attempt to balance my 'real' world with my 'make believe' one.  Emotionally reaching-out to my characters has provided insight into my personal reaction to loss and failure.  And, without a doubt, this has greatly influenced my life.  How I choose to allow it to affect me is one of the main reasons I decided that abruptly leaving behind a world filled with brilliant color would turn my life upside down.

Once having had or experienced something positive and beautiful  makes the sudden loss of it even more devastating.  The 'designer' in me is shaking her head up and down right now. 

Wherever you happen to be standing or sitting at this very moment, take a long look around you; observe your surroundings.  Run your hand along the curvature of the  wooden desk you might be sitting at.  Take in the pronounced height and breadth of the room you occupy as you study the large framed painting on the wall hanging just to your left.  Step through the doorway to the outside and feel the warmth of the sun kissing your skin as you inhale the delicious sweetness of the flowers flourishing in your corner garden.  Concentrate on the vibrating humming sound of a honey bee in flight deciding which flower to feast on in order to  extract its sweet nectar and pollen before moving on. 



The Humble Honey Bee

Provided you are receptive of this imagery, each picture can elevate you to a much higher awareness of the world immediately around you.  The scenarios have taken our mundane existence and repositioned it in a loftier light through the use of words and colored visual images.  The glossy mahogany desk takes on its own style with a flair of sex appeal as it replicates the female form.  The room grows much larger in stature as you take-in the oversized silver-framed painting on the wall.  The power of the bright white sun is heightened by how warm your arm is becoming as your nostrils broaden to better inhale the amorous overtones of a single, red rose.  And, where would any of us be if it were not for the hard working honey bee, dressed in black and yellow striping, making his daily collections?

The power of color has always served to enhance and intensify the beauty of our world.

The power of color can illustrate the widespread devastation and havoc of natural disasters and wartime imagery.

The power of color illuminates and clarifies our surroundings via light and enlightenment.  The application of color transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary!  The use of color is an adaptation process that changes or modifies something to suit new conditions or needs.

Many artists will tell you, whether they apply paint, crystals, cloth or ancient stones to form their particular creations, that the personal adaption of color marks the individual set of emotions and style that characterizes their particular work.  From the brush strokes of a Monet painting to the many inspiring men and women who have an eye for the design and decorating of interior spaces....their use of color within their own style sets them apart from everyone else.

The power of color can be quite invigorating!

Have you ever seen a certain color and had it evoke a special taste or smell within you?  Perhaps the color orange conjures up the aroma of orange blossoms when you walked through an orchard in Florida.  Or, umber tones might remind you of the heap of cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on toast as a child.  The 'sound of color' can be just as real to us as a familiar song, reintroduced to our conscience mind, can elicit memories from our past. Walt Disney had a mission of bringing the depth and power of music to kids by introducing eight pieces of classical music and setting them to animation over seventy years ago.  The movie Fantasia has become a loving classic to many generations of fans.  From the deep blue, swirling darkness of the night sky a demon conjures up dark angels in "Night On Bald Mountain."  Mickey Mouse himself is the iconic "Sorcerer's Apprentice" who introduces us to marching brooms of golden straw and rising blue water that threatens his world.  This classic movie taught us to see the music and hear the pictures all in amazing color and stereo!!



Western North Carolina Mountains

Yes, losing the ability of enjoying first-hand the colorful, natural beauty of our world would terrify me after having walked among the deep green forests of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, photographed the smoky blues and grays of the Western North Carolina mountains,  observed at least forty shades of green along the Connemara coastline in Ireland and marveled at the azure seas of the Mediterranean off the southern coast of France!  If so, my memory and imagination would surely have to  become my best friends!

I have lived to witness the intense green and startling blues of my grandchildren's eyes!  I will never forget the picture-perfect rainbows arching high above the Caha Mountains along Ireland's Bantry Bay after a warm afternoon shower.  The myriad of colors that fill the burlap bags overflowing with fresh spices, oceans of sweet, cellophane-wrapped cut flowers (lavender, pink, yellow, red) and endless varieties of farm fresh cheeses displayed in colorful rows remind me of days spent at the open-air markets of France.

Life is color.  Color is life.  I will never neglect or take for granted the impressive power of color.  I have so much more yet to see.....

Farmer's Market in Asheville, North Carolina

Copyright © 2014 By Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved