Liverpool Community College   2009/2010

Felice Beilin

The psychology of colour and how colour affects human behaviour is now a serious course of study at universities. Hospital rooms, classrooms, offices, schools, offices, public spaces are painted in colours to influence the behaviour and mood of the people who use them. Scientists who have studied colour and light extensively, recognize that colours bring about emotional reactions to individuals.

Our reactions and attitudes to colours differ from person to person, which makes an interesting study in itself. Understanding why certain colours affect us favourably is what is interesting to me. Therapists trained in colour therapy apply light and colour in the form of tools, visualization or verbal suggestion to balance energy in the areas of our bodies that are lacking vibrance, be it physical, emotional, spiritual or mental.

My aim is to investigate this further – to produce works that might influence performance, promote discussion, have therapeutic value, in public spheres.

Amongst the artists who are influential to me, are the Colourfield painters. Their work interests me because of their choice to eliminate symbolic or figurative imagery, and instead to explore the expressive possibilities of colour. Rothko suggested that painting had to be like drama, it must deal with universal themes and eliminate trivia and detail. Seurat is also of importance because of the theories and optical effects behind his use of colour. Anish Kapoor for his bold dramatic sculptures using powerful colour