you should have seen it in color…

These lyrics are from the song “In Color” by  Cody Johnson. Given my obvious fascination with all the colors, I find it particularly poignant. It brings to mind all of the old photos I have of my father and mother and of their fathers and mothers. There’s so much more to the living, breathing moments behind these pictures than we could ever know.  To the viewer they are just shades of grey, but the subjects in these images lived their lives in full color. Documented in real time. Enjoyed in the moment.

From what I remember, my mother was a very vibrant person…and how her life imitated art with how much she loved to live it with all the colors!  Our house was filled with bright orange leather and avocado green, as was so popular in the early 70s!  She also loved to dress in bright colors, often with bold patterns.  One of my favorite pictures of her was taken on a boat where she was rocking a bright yellow jumpsuit, complete with matching glasses!

It’s a shame that so many of her early photos are void of color, because I would bet the real moments were as colorful as she was.  This black and white photo of her at an 8th grade dance has always been a favorite of mine.  My grandmother actually made the dress.  I wonder what color it was.

The picture to the right is how I picture it…vibrant, bright and a stand-out from all the rest. I also wonder what she might have been thinking in this picture. Was she excited to go?  Did she have a date?  Did she go with friends?  Did her shoes match her dress?  What did her friends wear?  I bet it was a night filled with all the colors! 

I only had 14 years to know my mother, and while a lot of our early photos are grey, black and white, you should have seen those moments in color.  I remember them vividly. From the pink dresses she made for my sister and me at Easter to the red dress she made and wore to a party with my father…and even a yellow ball gown she sewed for a formal affair. I even remember silver shoes! 

It’s amazing how color pops into so many of our memories and forms such an impression. Perhaps that’s why so many artists use color to tell their stories, as I use a colorful palette to share mine.  I hope my stories will be as memorable to the viewer as my mother’s vibrant clothing and personality were to me.