Carlsbad Art and Culture

I spotted the thick trunk of this palm tree while walking home from the village one day. I stood in my tracks awed by the battle which took place before me. The bright red tag, lost in hostile territory, is slowly constricted by its rival of contrasting green shrubbery. Though outnumbered, the red tag holds it dominance and overpowers the viewer’s eye and all other competing colors.

I soon realized the colors weren’t the only contrasts. Prior to seeing this visual battle, I walked with a spring in each step as I marveled at the rays of sun shining though the patchy clouds. The day was grand and I felt comfortable. Within seconds after stumbling upon the red tag and green surrounding shrubbery, my emotion dropped to that of agitation. I then remembered the power of color and the emotions they can provoke.

“I have tried to express the terrible passions of humanity by means of red and green. The room is blood red and dark yellow with a green billiard table in the middle; there are four lemon-yellow lamps with a glow of orange and green. Everywhere there is a clash and contrast of the most alien reds and greens…” -Vincent Van Gogh