Interior Echoes: The Alchemy of Our Indian Palette
Interior Echoes: The Alchemy of Our Indian Palette
Harnessing Color Symbolism: How Our Indian-Inspired Palette this August Shaped Our Work, Visually and Conceptually
(6-Minute Read) This essay offers a personal reflection on the transformative journey we embarked on in August 2024, using Indian Yellow, Indian Red, and Indigo Blue in our Interior Echoes collection. What began as a tribute to the Indian heritage of Kamala Harris evolved into an exploration of these colors as potent alchemical tools, deeply rooted in history and spiritual tradition. Inspired by James Elkins' What Painting Is, we uncovered how this palette expanded our expressive possibilities, turning our work into a conduit for complex energies and intimate emotions. Through this process, we rediscovered color not merely as a visual element but as a force capable of channeling deeper currents of human experience.
As we turn the page to September, carrying with us the final strokes of our Interior Echoes collection, we've been reflecting on the profound effect of the color palette we've immersed in throughout this past month. Our choice of Indian Yellow, Indian Red, and Indigo Blue—each a variation of the standard primary colors—was initially conceived as a tribute to the Indian heritage of Kamala Harris. Yet, over the month, it evolved into an exploration of the alchemizing power of these colors, each deeply rooted in their history and spiritual traditions. Inspired by James Elkins' What Painting Is, a book we explored in our Roofless Book Club that draws parallels between painting and the ancient art of alchemy, here is a personal reflection on how this Indian palette has expanded the expressive possibilities of our work.
Indian Yellow: The Sun's Alchemical Gold
Indian Yellow, with its warm, golden hue, has long been associated with the sun and all it symbolizes—life, vitality, and the divine spark. In alchemy, yellow represents the stage of Citrinitas, which is the phase where the material transforms into something more spiritual and enlightened. Citrinitas, also known as the "yellowing," is the third stage in the Great Work. This alchemical process symbolizes the purification and perfection of matter into a higher state of being. Historically, Indian Yellow was derived from the urine of cows fed on mango leaves, embodying the alchemical transformation of the ordinary into the extraordinary. As we applied Indian Yellow to our paintings, we invoked the sun's energy—the life-giving force that fuels growth, creativity, and the power to transmute states from the mundane to the magical.
Indian Red: The Blood of the Earth
Indian Red, a deep, earthy hue, embodies the grounding, nurturing force of the earth itself. Historically derived from natural iron oxides found in the soil, this pigment is intimately connected to the very ground beneath our feet. Alchemists associate red with the Rubedo stage, the culmination of the alchemical process where material attains perfection and the Philosopher's Stone is realized. This color is the essence of life force, passion, and vitality—the earth's blood, the root of our existence, and the fire that fuels our creative spirit. Indian Red carries within it the echoes of ancient soil, the blood of ancestors, and the warmth of a hearth that has burned for centuries. To paint with this color was to engage with the profound, primal energy of creation.
Indigo Blue: The Mystical Night
Indigo Blue, the darkest and most enigmatic of our palette, embodies the deep, unknowable aspects of the universe—the night sky, the ocean's depths, and the void from which all things emerge. Historically, this pigment was derived from the leaves of the Indigofera plant, painstakingly fermented and transformed into the rich, inky dye that has colored sacred textiles and the robes of ancient clergy for centuries. In alchemy, blue is linked to the water element and the process of Solution, where substances dissolve, giving rise to new forms. It is the color of introspection, the subconscious, and spiritual awakening. Painting with Indigo Blue plunged us into the mysteries of the soul to embrace the vast unknown.
The Alchemical Process of Mixing Colors
Our goal in mixing these raw colors was to transform them from their original state and create a complementary combination that would blend the energies and synchronicities of their origins and symbolism. Instead of using the colors unadulterated out of the tube, we aimed to create color mixtures that would infuse our interiors with a mood that summoned their symbolisms. The greens, purples, and oranges that emerged guided the direction of our palette, sometimes dominated by one complementary direction or another, always striving for balance while allowing ourselves to follow the expression the mixture would lead us to. Here is a reflection of the energies of the complementaries we created.
Indian Yellow and Indian Red: Mars Orange
When Indian Yellow meets Indian Red, the result is a warm, earthy orange, Mars Orange. This color is reminiscent of terracotta bricks, vibrant spices, or rich lipstick. The combination of Indian Yellow and Indian Red symbolizes the earth's power of transformation and grounding energy. As a blend of these two hues, Orange represents the sacral chakra in spiritual traditions associated with creativity, sensuality, and the flow of life force. This pairing collection encouraged us to tap into our creative energies, embrace the warmth and vitality of life, and find balance in our physical and emotional experiences. This warm Orange invited us to ignite the inner flame, bringing warmth and fueling passion and groundedness.
Indian Yellow and Indigo Blue: Terra Verte
Indigo Blue blends with Indian Yellow to create a deep, muted green, Terra Verte. This green is symbolic of the earth's life force. Terra Verte embodies the heart chakra, the center of love, compassion, and connection. It balances the earthly and divine, material and spiritual. The union of Indian Yellow and Indigo Blue raises harmony between our higher aspirations and our grounded reality. It encouraged us to foster growth, both within ourselves and in our paintings, by finding equilibrium between the sun's energies and the night's mysteries. Terra Verte finds expression in weathered patinas, ancient botanical prints, and verdant moss on forest floors, each reflecting its earthy yet ethereal quality.
Indigo Blue and Indian Red: Dioxazine Purple
When Indigo Blue merges with Indian Red, the complementary color that emerges is a deep, shadowy violet, Dioxazine Purple. This violet hue is rich and mysterious, often associated with twilight, the veil between the known and the unknown. Violet represents the crown chakra, the gateway to higher consciousness and spiritual awakening. With this combination on our palette, we were encouraged to explore the depths of the inner world, confront the shadows within, and embrace the transformative power of spiritual insight. Dioxazine Purple evokes a black iris's deep, velvety petals, the glimmer of amethyst under the moonlight, and the opulent folds of royal robes.
As we reflect on the journey of this month's Interior Echoes collection, we recognize how the intentional use of our Indian-inspired palette has deepened our exploration of color as an emotional and spiritual medium. These colors have guided us far beyond our initial intentions, serving as a conduit for invoking unexpected energies and transforming our work from a simple representation to a vehicle for expressing the intimate. This palette has taught us to embrace the alchemical nature of painting, where each synchronic brushstroke blends history, symbolism, and personal emotion. Once again, we've experienced that color is not just an isolated visual element but a powerful force capable of evoking and channeling the deeper currents of human experience. As we bring this collection to a close, we carry forward the wisdom these hues have offered us, enriched by the journey they've taken us on.