I notice colors all the time. I can be walking on a path in the woods and notice the bright red berries spread at my feet. I look out the window and notice the stark contrast between the red cardinal and the newly fallen white snow. When the grass begins to grow in the spring, I notice the little brown thatch mixed with the tender green blades. As little crocuses spring from the earth, I see the shades of purple, yellow, and white. I see the world in color.

Noticing color is a spiritual practice for me. Taking pause to consider the red berries on the path, the cardinal in the snow, or the colors of the bursting crocuses reminds me that I am not alone. I am overwhelmed by the beauty of a world made by someone so much bigger than me. This is when I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and recenter myself. I let it all soak into me. Being mindful of color is my prayer, worship, and peace.

Playing with color on my canvas is an opportunity to calm my thoughts. I can worry, or I can explore what happens as I keep adding a little more yellow ocher to burnt umber. I can try and solve unsolvable problems, or I can watch colors mix and swirl. None of these ways of dealing with reality changes anything in the physical world, but the simple act of playing with color on a canvas reimagines my internal world. Mindfulness painting is my antidote for worry, fear, and stress.

I write about my painting process because I know that there are others like me: people who “see the world in color” and create in response. This blog is all about the power of noticing color and responding. It’s meant to be a reminder to take a deep breath, close our eyes, and re-center ourselves whenever color speaks.