The Essence of Blues

For those of you, like me, who think the color blue is one of the best things God ever did for us will find this book fascinating. Ms. Recio divides the book into an introduction, four chapters-- Feeling Blue, Seeing Blue, Creating Blue, Discovering Blue and a conclusion, Into the Blue. The book contains literally hundreds of facts about the color blue, some of them well-known and others quite obscure. Some of her conclusions are well-founded, others are speculative; and that's okay. Blue is symbolic of virtue, quality, heaven, the divine, purity-- the Virgin's cloak is often a beautiful shade of blue. For Hebrews, blue is the color of the glory of God. The flag of Israel is blue and white. The flag of the U. S. contains the color blue. Blue is associated with law and order-- as in police uniforms-- serenity, calmness (doctors' offices are often in shades of blue.) As seen from space the earth is blue. The ocean is blue. Many people do their bedrooms in blue or blue and white, a restful combination of colors. Ms. Recio discusses the color blue in art-- the Impressionists' obsession with blue-- in music-- the blues, bluegrass, "Rhapsody in Blue", "Mood Indigo," et cetera-- peacocks, butterflies, morning glories. The significance of blue in fashion, blue jeans, a navy blue suit for confidence and sobriety. I can testify that when I wear a navy pinstripe suit that the Red Sea parts for me. People are drawn to me like moths to a flame-- a blue one of course.In addition to lots of facts and suggestions about blue-- my favorite is that the abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky, an accomplished cellist, considered the cello to be dark blue-- there are many beautiful blue photographs here illustrating the author's thesis.

I really enjoyed this book. As a photographer I am always looking at the world of color, and what the colors can represent and how they have been used throughout history. I feel like this book is informative without really giving an opinion, but leaving that up to the reader.