The Nature of Color with Kimberly Collins Jermain

The Nature of Color with Kimberly Collins Jermain

In this episode of the Helping Families Be Happy podcast, host Christopher Robbins introduces Kimberly Collins Jermain, a painter, teacher, and architectural color designer. They discuss Kimberly's new book, "The Nature of Color," which serves as a field guide for exploring color in the natural world. The conversation delves into the science of how humans perceive color, differences in color perception between men and women, and the emotional and relational impact of color. Kimberly emphasizes the importance of being outdoors to truly appreciate and learn from nature's palette.

Episode Highlights
00:00:10: Introduction to the Helping Families Be Happy podcast and Christopher Robbins.
00:00:10: Christopher introduces guest Kimberly Collins Jermain and her work as a painter, teacher, and author focused on color.
00:02:03: Kimberly shares her journey of creating a more engaging approach to color theory for her students.
00:03:09: Discussion on how humans perceive color through the eyes' rods and cones.
00:04:44: Differences in color perception between men and women are explored.
00:06:01: Understanding that individuals may perceive the same color differently and its impact on art and architecture.
00:07:15: How color influences mood and family dynamics is discussed.
00:09:06: Kimberly explains why nature is crucial for learning about color.
00:10:07: Insight into using "The Nature of Color" book as a field guide for personal exploration in nature.
00:11:41: Kimberly's approach to appreciating different artists and how personal interests guide artistic exploration.
00:13:02: Christopher shares his admiration for Van Gogh's unique painting style and its possible origins.
00:14:48: Kimberly's hopes for what readers will gain from her book.
00:16:45: Discussion on experiencing vibrant fall colors and the natural world.
00:17:00: Encouragement to engage with nature and use the book as a simple guide.
00:17:32: Kimberly provides information on where to find her work online.
00:17:55: Conclusion encouraging subscription to the podcast and exploring books from Familius.

Key Takeaways

• The perception of color is subjective and can vary between individuals, genders, and environments.
• Nature serves as a rich, diverse palette that can teach us about color theory and its application in our lives.
• Color significantly affects human emotions and should be consciously used in personal and architectural spaces.
• Kimberly's field guide offers a practical method for documenting and understanding color experiences in nature.

Tweetable Quotes

• "Nature is the source for everything, and that's where we learn the most about what's important to us as humans in this great cosmos." – Kimberly Collins Jermain
• "Explore outdoors and find where your interests lie and how color makes those interests more lively and important to you." – Kimberly Collins Jermain
• "It doesn't really have to be called a hike if you don't wanna call it a hike. Just find ways to enjoy using the resources that we have in our environment." – Kimberly Collins Jermain