About a month ago I started a project that had been on my mind for a few months. In short, it’s a photo gallery and Q&A series on Instagram to showcase women’s creativity through color. I got the idea for “Creating Real Color” by the lack of color I saw online and in the world around me. My feed was a monotonous flow of the same linen dresses in muted yellows and taupes, the same minimalistic houses in off-whites and beige, the same single flower stem against a wicker basket. I do have an appreciation for the minimalistic aesthetic, and I think it looks crisp, clean and calming. What I miss seeing, though, is color. Social media has such an impact on people’s lives, that I started seeing less creativity in real life as well. I owe it to my friend Rachel Demsick, a photographer,  for helping me see life through a bolder lense throughout the summer of 2019. She encouraged me to branch out and appreciate colors again. 

I love seeing women express themselves, especially in an age where everyone wants to look the same.  I have always wanted to create something that will resonate with people. I think that more people can use a little extra joy every now and then too. I know I find joy in colors, and so do many other women around me. This project is meant for women to bring color back to life. 

I’m not trying to make it so exclusive, but I wanted this project to be for women and girls to express their work. This is for the girls that aren’t afraid to be bold. This is for the women who can’t decide on a color scheme for their abode. This is for the creators, the artists, the photographers, the dancers, the teachers and everyone else in between. This is for real people. I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I loved interviewing the people who brought it together. The original set can be found @creatingrealcolor on Instagram. 

Red – Rachel Demsick, Photographer: 

Question 1 – What emotions does the color red evoke for you? 

Answer – Fascinated, grateful, sure, thoughtful and happy.

Question 2 – What do you think of when you see red? 

Answer– Redemption. 

Question 3 – What song reminds you of red? 

Answer – Sacred Fire by Jeremy Enigk. 

Question 4 – How do you create? 

Answer – Because of my life situation with an autistic daughter, a baby and another daughter and husband, I create because I’m bursting at the seams to do it. I don’t have a surplus of time. I’m tired most of the time, but when I get a moment to myself I create with what’s going on in my life. I use my current life situations to express how I feel, and usually it’s a bit foggy, but I pull my camera out in real moments and just see what I can get. Lately, blurry images have been stirring something inside of me because it kind of feels like how fast and yet slow my days are moving lately. Being a mother is a lot of blurry, just doing the best you can and praying it’s a good decision. The way I create is how I answered this question – all over the place. 

Question 5 – What role does creativity play in your life? 

Answer – I can’t really control the role it plays in my life. It’s not something I decide to do and carve out time for. It’s just a part of my life. It’s just the way God designed me. I’m always creating things in my head… eventually it comes out. 

Question 6 – Who or what or where are some of your inspirations? 

Answer – My inspirations are my struggles in life, my mistakes, God’s redemption in my life and just being a severely flawed human. I’m inspired by all of the little things. The random, the “ugly”, the things that feel forgotten, the overlooked things.  

That was the first part in this eight part series. Next time, the color orange will be discussed with multi-media artist, musician and t-shirt designer, Meg Cabras. More of Rachel’s photography can be found at www.racheldemsickphoto.com . 

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