Issue 13, a celebration of color

Ever looked at paint names in your local hardware store – like Dead Salmon or Careless Whisper – and wondered 'who comes up with these?!'. This exact thought inspired one of our challenges — but more than that, it got us thinking about how color is a language in it's own right. This week, we're sharing our favorite examples of this.

"There must be a special place for color in my hippocampus. In yours too."

Simon March, paint maker

Simon March started his brand Colorville out of a love of paint, and 'specialist shops that have time for everyone'. His vision was to create a shop where people could drop in and chat about color-inspired moments in their lives, like the red of a railway station from childhood memories, or the blue of an old boyfriend's jacket. Personally, we're big fans of his naming skills: from the short and punny 'rod stewart', to the tongue-in-cheek 'This color is fashionable for now and the next two years'.

"I’m sharing the world’s pinkest pink with everyone except Anish Kapoor."

Stuart Semple, artist

In the art world, where exclusivity sometimes overshadows the art itself, Stuart Semple stands as a vibrant exception. He created the 'pinkest pink' in retaliation against Anish Kapoor – an artist who had famously secured exclusive rights to the 'blackest black' pigment. Semple’s defiance not only made a statement about accessibility in art but also brought a playful community spirit to the forefront. Dive into his colourful world, where art is for everyone — except Kapoor. (He's literally not allowed to buy anything from the shop, just check the Ts and Cs when you add to cart.)

"I am just another dot in the world."

Yayoi Kusama, artist

Yayoi Kusama’s Obliteration Room is a living, evolving art piece that captures the concept of community in color. The room started as a blank white canvas. Anyone who visited was given colorful dot stickers and invited to place them wherever wanted. This video shows how the room transformed over time into a colorful collective art piece. We think it's pretty cool.

Alter. Naming paints

Who says naming paints is just for the pros? Dive into this challenge to channel your inner color connoisseur.

practice

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