THE COLORS OF INVENTION: An Exploration of Color, Technology, and Culture November 11-16, 1997 Presented by The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution Cosponsored by The Smithsonian Associates Color shapes our view of the world. It enriches our lives and surprises us with its endless variety. Color mirrors our moods and probably has more influence on our lives than we realize. Yet we take for granted the ever-changing palette of our surroundings, seldom stopping to consider how those colors came to be. New colors are invented all the time, but where do colors come from? And why do they affect us so strongly? The Lemelson Center invites you to explore the rich mix of technology, culture, and perception that influences the invention and use of color during "The Colors of Invention." The programs and exhibits in this weeklong festival highlight both historical and cutting-edge developments in textile dyes, paints and pigments, and imaging technologies from photography and film to the most advanced computer graphics. "The Colors of Invention" brings together designers, artists, craftspeople, photographers, students, educators, scholars, movie buffs, music lovers and more to understand how and why we create colors to shape our existence. Events marked with @@ require tickets. See the ticketed events list below for further information. Except where noted, activities take place at the National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. For tickets and information, contact The Smithsonian Associates, 202-357-3030. OPENING EVENTS Tuesday, November 11 ART & DESIGN @@ How Color Influences Your Life: Architectural Digest at the Smithsonian 6 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium Pumpkin. Hunter. Midnight. Haystack. Today's "with-it" colors have a lot to do with nuance and catchy names. This session is highlighted by a discussion of the ins and outs of living with color. A reception follows the slide presentation. Speakers: Paige Rense, Architectural Digest editor-in-chief; and interior designers Thomas Fleming, Greg Jordan, and Marjorie Shushan. Wednesday, November 12 GENERAL INTEREST @@ Communicating with Color 12-2 p.m., Reception Suite A look at how color influences our thought processes, emotions, and physical reactions and the many ways to use color effectively, both personally and professionally. Speaker: Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute, and consultant to top professionals in fashion, interior, graphic, and industrial design. Thursday, November 13 HISTORIC PRESERVATION @@ Palettes, Pigments, and Patrons: Historic Colors at Mount Vernon and the Octagon 9 a.m. - 4.45 p.m. Starts and ends at the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Avenue and De Sales Street, NW. Metro: Farragut North Visit two historic homes noted for the restoration of their original color schemes--George Washington's Mount Vernon and the Federal-style Octagon townhouse that served as James Madison's "White House" during the War of 1812. The focus will be on the methods used to reproduce the original colors and the role of color in interior design in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lunch is included. Tour leaders: Matthew Mosca, paint consultant on both restorations; and Margaret Walch, associate director, Color Association of the United States. ART & DESIGN @@ Portraits of Invention, hosted by Marc Pachter. A Conversation with Ivan Chermayeff and Donald Kaufman 7.30 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium Two experts on the use of color talk about their art, their technique, and their lives; how color serves as an important communicating element in collage, illustration, and graphic design; and the application of fine-arts principles to architectural paint colors. Speakers: Ivan Chermayeff, graphic designer known for his innovative use of color; Donald Kaufman, founder of Donald Kaufman Color, creator of custom palettes for architects and interior designers; and Marc Pachter, cultural historian and counselor to the Secretary of the Smithsonian. INDIGO DAY Friday, November 14 Indigo Day activities examine colors from natural materials such as indigo. And without indigo and its synthetic successor, American blue jeans might not exist. TEXTILES Dye-It-Yourself 11.30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hands On Science Center, first floor, west wing Participants dye their own yarn using natural chicory, cochineal, and goldenrod, and synthetic indigo. TEXTILES @@ Dyeing to Know History 1.30 - 4 p.m., Reception Suite Trace the history and development of natural dyes and their practical applications from ancient times through the 18th century. Afterward, go behind the scenes in the conservation laboratory with Museum specialists to view items from the First Ladies Collection and other seldom-displayed clothes and textiles. Speakers: Anthony Travis, Edelstein Center for the History and Philosophy of Science, Technology, and Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and Sarah Lowengard, State University of New York at Stony Brook. TEXTILES Innovative Lives: Colorful Cottons A developer of naturally colored cottons talks about her work and her life as an inventor. Invited school groups only. Speaker: Sally Fox, Natural Cotton Colours, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM "An American in Paris" (1951, 113 minutes) 6.60 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium Vincente Minelli directed this Oscar-winning musical that was choreographed by its star, Gene Kelly. A 15 minute introductory talk covers the evolution and influence of Technicolor. Speaker: Richard Goldberg, Technicolor, Inc. MAUVE DAY Saturday, November 15 Mauve Day celebrates mauve and its relatives, the synthetic colors first invented over 100 years ago which revolutionized our choice of colors. TEXTILES @@ Dyeing to Know (More) History 10 a.m. - 12.30 p.m., Reception Suite Follow Friday's tour of the world of natural dyes with an exploration of 19th- and 20th-century synthetic dyes. Learn about the invention of the first coal-tar dyes (including the serendipitous discovery of mauve, the forerunner of all other synthetic colors) and the role of World War I in the rise of the organic chemical industry in the United States. Also tour the conservation laboratory with Museum specialists for a rare look at 19th-century clothes and textiles colored by synthetic dyes. Speakers: Anthony Travis, Hebrew University; and Kathryn Steen, Drexel University. TEXTILES Dye-It-Yourself 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hands On Science Center, first floor, west wing Participants dye their own yarn using natural chicory, cochineal, and goldenrod, and synthetic indigo. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM Imaging Technologies: Infusing What We See with Color 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hall of Musical Instruments Join representatives from imaging-technology companies as they demonstrate the latest advances in color printing, computer animation, and photography. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM @@ In Living Color: Photography, Film, and Television 1-5 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium Learn about the development of color technologies in photography, film, and television and how they became an integral part of our cultural life. Then join Museum specialists in a behind-the-scenes tour of artifacts in the collections that relate to color photography. Speakers: David E. Fisher and Marshall Jon Fisher, authors; Sally Stein, University of California at Irvine; and Robert Gitt, Film and Television Archives, University of California at Los Angeles. FOR EDUCATORS Teachers' Workshop: Color Curricula for Grades K-12 Teachers examine two special curriculum units on color. "Color and Light" was developed by the Academy of Applied Sciences with support from Polaroid Corporation. "True Colors," a unit on bleaching and dyeing presented in historical context, is an innovative learning approach to the history of technology developed by the Lemelson Center and the Society for the History of Technology. Limited enrollment; contact Michael Judd ([log in to unmask]) for further information. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM "The Wizard of Oz" (1939, 101 minutes) 6.30 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium In one of the most famous movie scenes of all times, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto step from black-and-white Kansas into glorious Oz in all its Technicolor splendor. A 15-minute introductory talk explores the aesthetic uses of color in film, including colorization. Speaker: Dwight Bowers, Division of Cultural History, National Museum of American History. MUSIC @@ The Sounds of Color: A Jazz Concert 8-10 p.m., Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University, 21st Street near Eye Street, NW. Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU. It's "Mood Indigo" as the Smithsonian's Jazz Masterworks Orchestra plays modern pieces by such great tonal colorists as Duke Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, Oliver Nelson, and Count Basie. A short talk on color perception, instrumentation, and harmony introduces this special performance. Speaker: David N. Baker, musical director, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. NEON GREEN DAY Sunday, November 16 Neon Green Day offers events that highlight today's vibrant, sometimes wild, even controversial, colors and their application to modern culture. GENERAL INTEREST The Crayola Factory: Creative Fun for Everyone! 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., first floor, east wing Experiment with a variety of Crayola Brand products; explore the history and evolution of the crayon since 1903; and learn how technology, trends, and fashion have changed the colors you see and use every day. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM "Toy Story" (1995, 81 minutes) 11.30 a.m., Carmichael Auditorium The first computer-animated, feature-length film is noteworthy for its brilliant use of color and its infectious, fun-filled spirit. Created by Pixar, in conjunction with Walt Disney Studios, Toy Story brings animated characters Buzz Lightyear and cowboy Woody to life. A 15-minute introductory talk places the film in cinematic context and outlines the technology used to produce it. Speaker: Dwight Bowers, Division of Cultural History, National Museum of American History. TEXTILES @@ Color by Design 1.30-4 p.m., Reception Suite Who decides what colors are "in" and which are "out" each season? Will they be earth tones, primary colors, or perhaps a shade unbecoming to you and me? This discussion illustrates the history of color palettes in fashion and design and offers some views on how the invention of new colors affects color forecasting and fashion. Conclude the afternoon by joining Museum specialists "backstage" for a tour of 20th-century fashions in the conservation laboratory. Speakers: Margaret Walch, associate director, Color Association of the United States; and Jacqueline Montgomery, curatorial associate, Fashion Institute of Technology. ART & DESIGN @@ The Artist's View: Color, Technology, and Style in Postwar Art 2-4 p.m., Carmichael Auditorium An unusual look at how the invention of new pigments, often at the urging of artists, together with new methods of application, advance the vocabulary and depth of painting. Speakers: Jules Olitski, abstract artist and a preeminent innovator of color application in painting; Mark Golden, president of Golden Artist Color, Inc., a leading manufacturer of artists' materials; and Harry Rand, art historian in the Museum's Division of Cultural History. EXHIBITS "Color Sells" Opens November 12; Lemelson Center Showcases New colors can make products more marketable, as industrial designers and manufacturers know well. Color sells! This exhibit illustrates the connections between aesthetics, invention, and advertising. After viewing the display, visitors can embark on a scavenger hunt, following clues leading to other exhibits and challenging them to view objects in a new light. "Blue Guitars" Opens November 12; Hall of Musical Instruments Lutherie--the art of making violins and guitars--is steeped in traditions passed from master to apprentice. The yellows, reds, and browns we expect to see on these instruments are created by varnishes developed over generations. What happens when luthiers change the color of an instrument? This exhibit features guitars from The Chinery Collection that were created by some of the finest traditionally trained craftsmen specially commissioned to produce guitars in the color blue. "Paint by Numbers" Opens November 10; Archives Center Showcases The paint-by-numbers concept became reality in the late 1940s when Max Klein, head of Palmer Paint Company in Detroit, and his artist-designer Dan Robbins, perfected a method for manufacturing the kits for an affordable price. Put out under the name of "Craft Master," the kits allowed almost anyone to paint technically perfect landscapes, flowers, nudes, and abstracts on canvas simply by following the numbers in the design. The paint-by-numbers collection was donated to the Museum in 1997. ============================================== TICKETED EVENTS Smithsonian Associates SENIOR GENERAL DATE CODE MEMBER MEMBER ADMISSION NOVEMBER 11 Architectural Digest 1X0-290 $15.00 $13.50 $20.00 NOVEMBER 12 Communicating with Color 1X0-294 FREE FREE FREE NOVEMBER 13 Historic Houses Tour 1GD-016 78.00 78.00 123.00 Portraits of Invention 1X0-291 FREE FREE FREE NOVEMBER 14 Dyeing to Know History* 1X0-292 15.00 13.50 20.00 NOVEMBER 15 Dyeing to Know (More) 1X0-293 15.00 13.50 20.00 History* In Living Color** 1M0-295 20.00 18.00 25.00 Sounds of Color*** ---- FREE FREE FREE NOVEMBER 16 Color by Design* IM0-296 15.00 13.50 20.00 The Artist's View** IM0-297 15.00 13.50 20.00 For tickets and information, contact The Smithsonian Associates, 202-357-3030. * Seating limited. ** Ask for special rate for full-time students with ID. *** For tickets to this event, call TICKETplace, 202-842-5387. ----------------------------------------------------------------