Point of View

Colorfuel has been in business for almost four years now and I have decided to start a blog. It seems the best vehicle to share thoughts on color to a wider audience. Why now? I’ve hesitated up to this point in doing so because I wasn’t sure I had enough to say. Or rather anything to say that wasn’t already being said.

I started my career as a graphic designer and life took me on a path that led to color marketing. When I started working at Sherwin-Williams 21 years ago, I joined the Color Marketing Group. This organization and all the wonderful friends I have met through it cemented my desire to stay in this field. Color consulting is a somewhat specialized field and the arena of “color experts” has grown quite a bit in the last ten years or so as the necessity of color marketing and forecasting has been accepted. There is also a plethora of “color passionistas.” Those who profess their passion for color and are devoted to spreading the magic. There are many who work with color as a part of their job but fewer who focus solely on color and finishes as it applies to their product(s.) I spend a great deal of my time researching consumer trends and understanding color from the scientific, artistic and marketing perspective. It is complicated for consumers but doesn't have to be. I am passionate about color but along with inspiring with colorful imagery, I want to share what I know and take the fear factor away from decisions involving color selection.

I always cringe at the phrase “color expert.” I think of color marketing and trend forecasting like yoga, it’s a practice that is ever-evolving and adjusting. Color is personal and as such, human emotion and experiences impact our color choices. With my experience, I can guide and coach and identify the trends in color and design that will impact you or your business. My expertise can be applied to designing color systems, curating collections and communicating the complexities of color. Hopefully taking a touch of the mystery out of color but never down-playing its importance.

So, think of this blog as another point of view on color. Color is personal and rules are made and broken. There are no bad colors just bad combinations or applications. And if you ask my favorite color, it may change every time you ask.