I am often asked how I came up with the idea for With a Brush of Love. The answer is the idea flowed directly from my personal philosophy to my paintbrush.

My belief is that diagnostic, emotional and learning setbacks often become one’s greatest growing experience. That which we initially perceive as flaws—when treated with a brush of love and the right kind of care—often become our greatest assets. They set us apart and make us unique.

For parents and children alike, that journey to a positive perspective can include a lot of frustration and a lot of trial and error. More often than not, once issues such as ADD/ADHD, autism and Asperger’s Syndrome are diagnosed, strengths emerge that can lead to enhanced creativity, problem solving, drive and focus once an environment has been engineered. Color can help that happen.

My practice of using color to bring about positive change in emotional well-being and behavior arises from an age-old premise. Consider that none of us “accidentally” gravitates toward certain colors, patterns, designs or even textures. The visual choices we make are enmeshed within our personalities, characteristics and behavioral traits. We all feel color’s effect on us—how it can energize and calm, create joy or melancholy. By harnessing the power of color we can create the feelings and emotions we want to surround us.

I believe in color’s healing properties, its ability to help children discover their unending and inevitable potential. Color can shed a light—a bright, rainbow-hued light—on issues that, for now, continue to make children with behavioral, emotional or learning problems feel alienated, or even inferior, to those around them.

Having this knowledge and using it accordingly can make a huge difference in a child’s success and self-esteem. Learning differently doesn’t make one less able, rather it makes them “able” in a different way.

That is why I believe that with a brush of love, ALL children can thrive just as they are: Already Perfect.