Why I Rarely Use Red Until Now
For years, I avoided painting with red.
Red is not a casual color. In art, red carries meaning — passion, sacrifice, courage, and redemption. It is bold. It demands attention. And when used poorly, it can overwhelm a composition.
©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026
Red Tulip Kiss
Oil on Canvas SOLD by Laurie Pace
Recently, while researching red tulip meaning, I discovered how layered this color truly is.
Red tulips traditionally symbolize deep love and devotion.
During the Ottoman Empire, the red tulip represented wealth, refinement, and even national pride. Fallen soldiers were honored with red tulips placed on their graves — a symbol of sacrifice and courage.
In biblical symbolism, red appears repeatedly.
It represents blood, covenant, sin, sacrifice, and ultimately redemption. The color is never decorative in Scripture — it is declarative.
As an oil painter, I approach red carefully. Small amounts create strength and structure within a composition. Too much, and the painting loses harmony.
In my newest painting, Twelve-Legged Race in the Wind, red moves intentionally through the work — guiding the eye, anchoring movement, and reinforcing unity within the herd. It is not dominant, but it is decisive.
I am learning that red is not simply a color of warning. It is a color of endurance. Of shared strength. Of Life
If you’d like to read more about the symbolism of red — in history, faith, and art — and see how it appears in my newest work, visit my full studio blog here. Elle
• Passion Color• New Year Christian reflection • faith and relationships • humility in relationships • Red in the Bible
Laurie is an international artist, her paintings are collected in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, DuBai, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, St Thomas, Romania, Greece, Croatia, and Ecuador.
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