My Journey to Becoming a Personal Color Analyst

If I had been born just a few weeks later, I would be considered a Gen Xer.  A birthday in November, 1964 makes me one of the youngest of the Baby Boomers.  That generation made the most transformative contributions to American culture in the late 20^th century.  Thanks to the boomers the 1980’s saw women entering the business world in record numbers and blazing new career trails.

I was good in math and science so everyone assumed I should go into business, including me.  I enrolled in Syracuse University’s School of Management focusing on Personnel Management because I really liked people!  As much as I enjoyed my classes, something creative called to me and I jumped on the opportunity to take some Art History classes. I was fascinated by all the beautiful paintings and how they illuminated world history.  I took as many classes as I could. While my business courses involved logic and structure, art history helped me to see life from a whole new perspective. Looking back, I was destined to combine my love for art with an affinity for business. 

Surprisingly, it was a book my mother brought on vacation that first introduced me to Personal Color Analysis. On a long car trip to Florida for spring break she brought Carole Jackson’s, “Color Me Beautiful.”  This book popularized color analysis in the 1980’s. We attempted to determine each other's colors, my aunt’s colors and even my poor father who spent the entire vacation listening to us talk about color and seasons.  We never could figure out where we all fit. I graduated with a degree in Personnel Management and a minor in Art History and joined the corporate world.    

While working in Human Resources interviewing, hiring and training candidates I started recognizing how color affected me, my impression of people and assessment of their abilities.  Those wearing black I barely remembered no matter how accomplished or capable they might have been for the job.  Those dressed in a color that seemed to drain them or overwhelm them distracted me in a negative way. Those dressed in colors and styles that were appropriate appeared to know themselves better.  So they seemed a better fit for the position and were hired.

Around this time my cousin Julie "got her colors done" and the results were amazing!  She was already attractive & stylish but now she always look pulled together and there was a confidence and glow about her.  I sought out my own personal color analysis in a 4-season color analysis system similar to Color Me Beautiful which was the only thing available at the time.  More confusion.  Some of the colors seemed right, but others did not work for me.  How did color analysis create amazing results for some, but not for all?  

I began listening to my inner compass and paying close attention to the ways colors looked on me. Julie and I read books and combed the internet learning everything possible about personal color analysis and discovered a more expansive concept than the 4 season system.  Professional Munsell Colorist Kathryn Kalisz of SciArt offered training in color harmony and we became certified in her 12-season Personal Color Analysis System.   The subtle differences between the 12 seasonal tones accommodate every person and every color.  The science behind this system reinforced what I had learned about color harmony as an Art History student. Everything finally made sense!  

This system was an important resource and it was clear this knowledge needed to be shared with a wider audience.  Incredibly, a perfect space where I lived in the village of Pittsford, NY became available and Rochester’s first personal color analysis studio was in business!  Since 2005 I have analyzed colors for thousands of clients, guiding them in creating their own color harmony. Each brings me a greater understanding of how we all fit into the natural world and also reinforces the theories outlined in the 12-season color analysis system.

Analyzing which colors look best is the first step. Providing clients with additional services and the tools they need to look pulled together makes Indigo Tones unique.   I am especially proud to have designed and developed my own unique personal color swatch books, created a line of botanically based non-toxic cosmetics, and curate clothing and accessory pieces for all shapes, styles, colors and budgets for the online resale boutique.  

My journey to finding color harmony in my personal and professional life has been exciting and rewarding.  As a Personal Color Analyst and business owner I meet new interesting people each day. I love helping them feel confident wearing color and being themselves. It’s very fulfilling making the world a more colorful harmonious place!