This video reminded me of an interesting project that was given to me to work on. A time when I moved from South Carolina to California back in 2003/2004 to start a new job. Young and filled with possibilities took a leap of faith and joined a high end designer in California to design his textile collection. He had an array of rich textiles from all over the world. It had been about 2 years since my graduation from Savannah College of Art and Design, very eager and excited to learn my way through the shades of textiles.
He had a screen printing facility in house. And back in time hand screen printing, making your own screens, huge printing tables were a big thing. Still maybe alive but not as much as it used to be back in the days. And my first assignment was to create 2 complete set of Pantone swatches with the screen printing pigment dyes on fabric. Kinda creating a fabric Pantone book/ binder for his library. Ha! Yup it was quite a task on hand. There were 2000 colors I had to create and print on a fabric and note the values of how I got that color. All I could think to myself is “what”? You want me to create these 2000 colors? My monkey mind got real busy with all kinds of stupid negative thoughts. But I was excited to be there and learn so I did not let my monkey mind override the truth. And the truth was I loved the opportunity given to me and if this is how it starts then so be it. Pulled myself together and got back on mixing colors. And it was a beautiful project. Easy, effortless and fun. In the beginning it was slow but as I started to understand the medium and the craft of making colors the task became fun, play and meditative.
Everyday from morning to evening for quite many months all I did was mix colors, until I reached a point to perfect the art of knowing colors and when and how much to add or subtract to get the desired shade or tint.
This practice, knowledge gave me insight into color and color making. The reason I share this as it has taught me a very valuable lesson. Lesson of being persistent and consistent, not to loose hope or to give up just because of what you think you should be doing or not doing in your mind. No job is small or big. No matter at that moment and time you don’t realize the value it is bringing you but hang on and walk through that project. You will be grateful for this task you were given to do. Every job/ task has a meaning, purpose. And it is given to you because only you could do it. And there is no one like you. Even though at first it looked like a huge task but if it wasn’t for this exercise I would have missed learning the importance of colors and it’s journey.
By the time I was done I did of course truly enjoyed the joy of colors. It was meditative, fun, soothing and healing for me. Every color has its own magickal presence, Vibration, vitality, strength and personality.
Matter of fact every task, job that I was given no matter how hard or easy the boss was or the task was it led me to connecting me to my trueself. My artist within. It is an opportunity for you to grow and know yourself within.
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