FAST FIVE Michelle Lewis dreams in color
Meet Michelle Lewis, a color psychology expert who helps people connect with the power of color in their daily lives.
Whether it's through wardrobe, branding, website or interior design, she's helped thousands of people worldwide learn the language of color. Author of "Color Secrets," Michelle believes color is our only universal language. Originally from Los Angeles, Michelle grew up in the film industry, got her bachelor's degree in film/television and worked in Hollywood for over 10 years on hit shows like "Chuck" and "Pretty Little Liars." She then took her work online, creating online courses for entrepreneurs, teaching them visibility and publicity strategies for growing their businesses. This opened the door to utilizing color psychology in branding, where she then studied color in history, film, science, behavior, nature, medicine, marketing, branding and sales psychology — every piece imaginable to create a truly unique perspective on color psychology. It has led to public speaking opportunities like TEDx, as well as features in publications such as the DailyMail, Business Insider, MSN and Huffington Post. She now teaches virtual classes on color and consults worldwide with companies and projects that seek to advance the knowledge of color.
Visit colorpsychology.com or colorcured.com for details. Follow Michelle @colorpsychologist on Instagram or @colorpsychologist on TikTok.
1) What is color psychology, and how did you become a color psychologist?
Color psychology is the study of how people respond to color, whether it's physically, emotionally or mentally. I started as most do, by getting my hands on every bit of information about color I could find! It was interesting as I had a degree in film/television and certifications in interior design and color analysis. It gave me a 360-degree view of color in multiple aspects that led me to see the incredible force of color. The most important part of color psychology is trying to truly understand the depth of a color's impact and facets throughout culture, history and behavior. I spent a lot of time researching and learning, and it led to my book. I feel like that knowledge expands daily with every person I talk to!
2) What is your favorite color and/or color scheme and why?
Personally, I love cool-toned colors, mostly because of how blue undertones keep me feeling calm and peaceful. I can't pass by anything teal without picking it up — it's a color I truly adore and probably always will. That's what amazes me about color. We all react differently and, the more we become aware of color, the more we will actually self-prescribe what we need. For example, someone hears about color psychology and the next day realizes they want to switch out their black jacket for a red one to feel more natural energy. It's incredible stuff.
3) How does color affect us without us knowing it's affecting us?
Color can affect anything from heart rate to mood to thought processes...and it doesn't end there. Since most colors come from the visible light spectrum (think of the rainbow), color is essentially light. And light can act as both a particle and a wave depending on whether or not a human is present. There are so many studies that show color's affect on the body. For example, in a green environment, our body naturally falls into a balanced state. Or how orange can help us wake up and be more productive throughout our day. Even yellow can stimulate our nervous system and lymphatic flow. But it doesn't stop there. Blue causes more natural trust and deeper thinking processes. Purple makes us feel more connected in terms of relationships. Pink feels comforting whereas magenta feels stimulating. I could go on and on. We are responsive to color because it, in itself, is a responsive force. To put it practically, simply by reading this article, you will now be more aware of color. That will instantly boost the gray matter in your brain. When you get dressed tomorrow, you will think twice about the color you choose, and you may notice the color of cars, your office, your child's school, your products in a grocery store...potentially even your political candidate's choice of clothing!
4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I am a very eclectic person who loves studying very random things. I'm an expert equestrian horsewoman, violinist, pianist and vocalist as well as a gardener and beekeeper. Learning is one of the best aspects of life, I believe, along with observation. I moved here primarily for the huge response my body had to this environment. All of the blue, green and sunlight had a powerful effect on my body. Color psychology definitely explains why!
5) How can we incorporate color into our lives to enhance our moods and overall make us happier every day?
The biggest aspects of life we can add color into are our wardrobe and physical spaces, like your office or home. Usually, this is how people find me. They want to know what to wear. Using color analysis — a method of determining what color palette best suits your skin tone — and color psychology — how specific colors will make you and others feel — things radically shift in a client's life. Their daily mood changes, their family's, even their coworkers notice a shift. That's what I love the most about the power of color...it never ends! We can bring its influence into so many parts of our daily lives and, in my opinion, color wants to be noticed and wants to change things for the better to help us.
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Do you know someone in Kootenai County who makes our community awesome? Send Fast Five suggestions to Devin Weeks, dweeks@cdapress.com, to highlight locals who contribute their time and talents to make North Idaho such a special place.
