What memories are conjured up when you get a whiff of a brand new box of Crayola crayons? The scent is so unique that it can transport you back to your childhood in a heartbeat. Although I’m well into what is termed “midlife,” I eagerly anticipate the experience of my son opening a new box of Crayola crayons. When he does, I’m flooded with memories of my own childhood, and the thrill and wonder of having – if I was lucky – 64 pristine colors from which to choose. The choices weren’t always easy, and the box seemed to hold some unanswerable questions. Should I use Thistle or Orchid? Yellow or Lemon Yellow? Why did I have a Red Violet and a Violet Red, or a Green Yellow and a Yellow Green? What, exactly, did Raw Sienna and Raw Umber mean?
Since my childhood, many colors have been retired and others added, so my son can choose from among 120 lustrous colors that range from Wild Blue Yonder and Unmellow Yellow to Purple Pizzazz and Laser Lemon. But, like generations of children before him, my son was set to learn to draw with Crayola Crayons. Learning how to draw was a delight, but he wanted to take his art education – and his...