Sunday, May 13, 2007

THE COLOR CULTURE

Color me Main Street, Mahone Bay

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU MOMS OUT THERE! 

The thought occurred to me as I drove along Nova Scotia's south shore yesterday that Nova Scotia is a very much a color culture. I kept noticing how many houses and cottages along our scenic maritime byways are painted amazing colors. It's something I take for granted because it's so much part of the Nova Scotian landscape but I've travelled enough to know that it is a bit unusual to paint houses turquoise or purple. Mostly house owners lean to more conservative shades even before the days of vinyl siding. I can even remember a tartan cottage near my aunt's place-- yes, carefully applied setts in the province's blue and green tartan. Great Scot or what?

When a penpal came to visit me in my youth she went on at length about our 'quaint' little colored houses. I recall being a little piqued because someone 'from away' seemed be regarding my community as an interesting and quirky specimen, even though she obviously found us enchanting. Now I wonder if I have color in my DNA.

We Nova Scotians do take color seriously—or unseriously, depending on how you view it. Forget about the turquoise cottage trying to match the one next door. We like being unique, thank you very much. Besides, the neighbour likes his in purple, bright purple. The one shown above is at least a more restrained browny purple but it still creates quite a contrast with the bright yellow one across the street (not pictured).

Line up these little lovelies on a Nova Scotian shoreline road so their merry hues shimmer against sky and sea, poke a few whirlygigs on the lawn, perhaps invite a few wooden folk art neighbours to stand around with fixed grins on their painted faces and you have a typical seaside Nova Scotian community. Our culture is one hundred percent creative self-expression. When it's caught up in our fishing history, it spins out as a little folky and exuberant. Even though our urban dwellers are more into vinyl siding and sophisticated design, even they will leak color into their yards, if left to their own devices. Now, don't ask me the color of my house. I'm ashamed to admit it's painted two shades lighter than a yawn but that could change.

A perfectly Nova Scotian yarn shop: Have A Yarn, Mahone Bay

Interested in seeing Nova Scotian color for yourself? Check out the Knit A Beach  page for a dive into authentic seaside color experience for an extended weekend this August.

Also newly-posted, the first in my new Surface Embellishment series. Free virtual guides on how to embellish your knitwear with embroidery and beads. Posting number one: the humble running stitch. Click here: http://www.janethornley.com/blog/index.php/site/Knitalong/