What is The Colour of Hope?

Be Brave With Your Life, original painting, mixed media collage, 25 x 25cm

Have you ever thought about what colours make you feel happy? What environment gives you a feeling of encouragement or hope?

I have been painting and exhibiting for 25 years. During this time I have run many art workshops for developing creativity. My favourite and most successful where the workshops based on the colours of hope, and what I found out was most intriguing.

I spent years asking this simple question, what is the colour of hope? I ran online surveys, as well as studio workshops using art materials. I wanted to know what colour most people associated with feelings of hopefulness and if this feeling could be created as a painting. The goal being, that if you knew what colours gave you the feeling of hope, then you could surround yourself with these colours and create an environment that increases your well being and happiness.

On The Shores (part), original painting

What is Hope?

Hope is more than an optimistic state of mind or a feel-good emotion. The American psychologist Charles Richard Snyder, along with his associates, developed what they call hope theory. Snyder determined that a person who has hope has a greater chance of success in life. He resolved that hope not only gives people the will to achieve their goals but encourages the mind to create different strategies to accomplish the tasks.

“Hope allows people to approach problems with a mindset and strategy-set suitable to success, thereby increasing the chances they will actually accomplish their goals”

— Scott Barry Kaufman

Why Is This So Important?

Life is hard, everybody struggles with who they are and what they want. At the moment, we are in the middle of a global health crisis and an economic downturn. The media is broadcasting a continuous stream of fear and catastrophe. Everything we watch and listen to is overshadowed with disaster and this increases our anxiety and can contribute to poor mental health.

You need to do whatever you can to increase your health and well being. Surround yourself with colours that inspire and uplift you.

“Hope is a combination of setting goals, having the tenacity and perseverance to pursue them and believing in our own abilities” — Brené Brown

Frequencies of Heaven (part), original painting.

What is Your Colour of Hope?

How would you answer this question? Close your eyes…. breathe…. think about when you last felt hopeful, encouraged or energised. What environment were you in? What colour would express this experience? What colour makes you feel hopeful?

Can you imagine yourself at the beach, with the beautiful blue sky over your head and fluffy white clouds? Or are you walking through the forest, with the cool air and deep shades of green? Or does the bright yellow of sunflowers make you feel hope?

There are no wrong answers to this question. What I have found after many years of creative research, is that every colour is someone’s colour for hope.

It is a completely personal response and defined by cultural upbringing, emotional associations and personal preference.

What you need to work out is, what colour increases your response to feeling hope and then deliberately surround yourself with those colours.

It’s not hard to do and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Add colour to your home with a few scatter cushions or a throw rug. A new scarf to your wardrobe or pick up some fresh flowers. You would be amazed at how good flowers can make you feel. Purposely add more colour to your home, office or wardrobe. Colours that make you feel energised, encouraged and hopeful, colours that make you smile.

“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.” — Jonas Salk

Hope, acrylic on linen, 100 x 100cm, original painting

My Colours of Hope

These are my colours of hope. I created this painting of Hope quite a few years ago. It was on a Monday. On a day when circumstances were contrary to what I had been believing for and things were difficult. I was short on money and art supplies were low, but I just had to create. I decided to paint what hope looked like to me.

Hope is not accepting things as they are, but having an adamant belief that things will get better. This takes courage, to find the strength from deep within ourselves to believe, despite how it looks, that things will be different, change will happen.

In creating this painting, I ran out of my usual colours of paint and I had to improvise. I had to try a different direction with the painting and I didn’t really know if it would be successful. I had to push past my feelings of frustration at what I didn’t have and find solutions with what I did have.

When I had finished the painting and stood back to look at it, I was truly amazed at how beautiful it was and I realised that hope is a tangible reality.

It is the strength to push on, to not give up and it is beautiful.

Hope is the life we live, the attitude we carry, the gift we give others. Hope is the energy, the courage and the strength to keep believing in the goodness of life, God and the people around us.

Rise Up, acrylic on canvas, original painting

Froyle Davies
I’ve been a visual artist for over 25 years and now I tell my stories.
Let me inspire you with this beautiful free print, ‘Above the Stormy Waters.’

Cheers Froyle