This time on the Colour Couch I’m joined by Xander Cadisch, Co-Owner of Phos Light and Founder of Light Tribe by Phos.

Xander and I first connected during the very first Light Tribe webinars back in lockdown one, and over the years we’ve not only collaborated but also become friends. I’ve had the pleasure of being a guest on his podcast In Light of It All, and also contributing a section to his book The Light Within Us.

I love chatting to people whose work explores colour in different ways, and Xander is the first from the world of lighting, as after all, colour is light.

At Phos Light he leads on marketing and research, while through Light Tribe he has created a community that brings together ideas across science, design and wellbeing. His book delves into the neuroscience of wavelengths and human behaviour, shining a light on the profound ways these forces shape our experience of the world.

Over to Xander on the Colour Couch to find out more…

What is your earliest colour memory?

I remember a yellow and red plastic car that my twin brother and I would push each other around in. The sight of the electric yellow and electric red used to energise me massively. 

What does colour mean to you?

Colour is the body language of light. It moves us before we think. It’s not decorative – it’s biological. The right hue can lift cortisol or slow a heart rate. It’s not just what you see, it’s what your cells feel. Fundamentally, I think it’s light expressed in soul form.

Do you have a favourite colour or a colour that you find yourself constantly drawn to? And why?

My favorite colour is a paint from Bauwerk called “Juniper”.  The blue-green is my favourite shade, but it’s the lime wash within it that, when applied, breathes life into it as a result of the random alterations of texture, reflectance, and shading. It’s my favourite colour, brought alive through a “Wabi-Sabi” approach of irregularity. 

Do you have a colour that you least like? And why?

I don’t like artificial colours with high gloss. There is something unsettling and jarring that reminds me of my need to go back to organic hues and natural finishes. In a way, it’s bitter-sweet because although I detest the artificial nature of these kinds of colours, it does act as a good reminder to connect with colours that hold and nurture you that we find in nature. 

What do you love most about working with colour?

Its quiet precision. The way it can soothe a nervous system or spark a memory. When you use colour intentionally – especially in tandem with light (angle, intensity, beam etc), it stops being a visual choice and starts becoming a language.

What do you think your life would be like without colour?

Flattened. Dissonant. Like trying to listen to music with only one note.

What’s your favourite colour story?

Egyptian Blue is one of the first synthetic pigments ever made, first developed by the Ancient Egyptians. Roman fresco painters later adopted it in their art – and thousands of years on, it still glows under infrared light. That endurance. That spectral whisper from the past. That’s colour at its most magical.

Were you ever afraid or wary of colour? And what did you do to overcome this?

I remember my school being very grey and mundane, and using four Bic pens to create a bit of vibrancy in the classroom. I didn’t realise I was doing this at the time, but for me, jazzing up a soulless environment using colour was something quite natural, even before I got into the world of light and colour as a profession.

Do you have a favourite colour place that you visit (or have visited)?

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.  It’s the most sensational interplay of light, colour, surface, and texture. But even more than that, it’s the way that it changes throughout the day. I can stand inside that incredible building for hours on end and still feel like I’m seeing everything for the first time.

If you could pick any colour and give it a name, what would that be?

I quite like the fact that paint companies use terms like “Elephant Breath” and “Cucumber Mist”. I think given the misbehaving tendencies that I had at school and beyond I’d probably have to create a colour called something like “Detention Grey” or “Anxiety Yellow”. 

For anyone afraid of colour what would your number 1 piece of advice be?

I’ve always had this idea of designing spaces by closing your eyes and looking inwards. If you think about the space that you’re trying to jazz up, what is the emotional feeling or state you would like to find yourself in within that room? If you take a couple of deep breaths and think about the wavelength/colour that will put you into that state of being, that’s the easiest way to connect with colour.

Another thing is learning to try and name more colours. In marketing, products positioned towards women tend to have far greater use of colour vocabulary. An amazing guy called Dimitris Mylonas (whom I know was mentioned in your book) explained that the more labels and improved vocabulary that you have for colours, the greater your ability to decipher, connect with, and understand each one.

Which colourful person do you most admire and would love me to interview for the On the Colour Couch series?

I’d have to say my good friend and Light Artist, Frankie Boyle.  She has synesthesia  and an incredible ability to translate the colourful nature of herself into physical form using light and colour as the medium. Whenever I see her, her fiery red hair and colorful outfits give you a flavour of what to expect in her artwork. She really brings out the playful side of people through her personality and her work, reminding us not to take things as seriously as society tends to push us to do. A refreshing antidote in today’s world.

I love Xander’s memory of using a four-colour Bic pen at school. I had one too along with some sparkly pens, and I remember how much I enjoyed filling my pages with bursts of colour instead of just the uniform blue or black. It’s a lovely reminder of how we naturally find ways to bring in colour and express ourselves, even in the smallest everyday moments. Did you find yourself doing this as well?

If you would like to discover more about Xander, head over to his instagram @phos.light.

You can listen or watch our podcast.

You can sign up to the Light Tribe By Phos here.

And if you would love some help to reignite your colour confidence, you can download the first chapter of my book – The Little Book of Colour for free.

Wishing you a colourful day,
Karenx