For someone who grew up without any formal background in how we see colors or color science, my fascination with them has always felt very instinctive. Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by mixing colors and creating harmonies without even realizing I was doing it. One of my earliest memories is playing in my backyard, surrounded by wild ferns. I remember watching how the greens shifted from the young, tender leaves to the older, deeper ones, and how sunlight danced across them how it changed the greens, and how those shades interacted with the black soil, the brown and charcoal trunks of old coconut trees, and the occasional bursts of color from wildflowers. Without knowing it then, those moments shaped the way I see and love color today.
Green has always had a special effect on me, probably because I grew up next to taro fields and beneath towering giant taro trees( I’m still obsessed with) and mangoes and limes. Even though they all share the quite the same green I could always see the subtle differences in their hues and textures. You can say Iam more a cooler range of colored person than the warmer tones most of the times.
As my life moved forward, my relationship with color evolved. I’ve had different “color eras” from my obsession with hot pink (I even had a hot pink Motorola flip phone, and my bathroom at my home still has a hot pink door!) to softer shades, and then to a phase where I wanted everything white. That era is long gone now. I’ve realized I resonate more with color than with minimal monochromes. Over time, my taste became more refined, but my love for blues and greens has never faded.
My curiosity eventually led me to learn how we actually see color. It’s fascinating to know that objects don’t really have the colors we think they do they simply absorb or reflect certain wavelengths (did you know this? if you are a science student probably you do ) Little facts like that genuinely give me goosebumps.
I also tend to associate colors with textures or even tastes. Green feels velvety to me, plum feels juicy, peach feels fuzzy and white feels smooth. I bring color into every part of my life through what I wear, how I cook, and how I create harmony in my home. As I’ve grown older, I’ve gravitated toward natural tones and materials that add depth and layers. I see color differently now, it’s become a way I express my emotions and inner world. Colors can quietly shape your well-being calming you, energizing you, or bringing balance after a long day without you even noticing.
And I still find beauty in the most unexpected places like fallen leaves beneath a mango or breadfruit tree, or a moss-covered wall. What others might overlook or consider messy, I find mesmerizing.
To sum it all up, playing with colors adds meaning to my life and keeps my curiosity alive. It keeps the little girl in me who marveles at every sunsets and sunrise hues still wide-eyed and joyful. Every day brings a new shade, a new subtle shift, a new moment of wonder that many might miss, but I always notice.