The Art of Ecology
Building visual connections between people and nature.
A blanket of fresh snow, the soft feathers of birds, and soothing petals of roses and lilies. The color of these natural artifacts are so tranquil, but what exactly is that color called? Pantone has selected Cloud Dancer, a blank slate of a hue to be the 2026 color of the year!
With its expansive presence, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer invites a space where function and feeling intertwine to build atmospheres of serenity and spaciousness, providing a refuge of visual cleanliness that inspires well-being and lightness.
Pantone.com
Where is Cloud Dancer found in Nature?
To me, white is the color of imagination alighting, creativity waiting to be expressed, and the world ready to be explored. White, while definitely NOT my favorite color, symbolizes readiness and an imaginative spark waiting to ignite. The natural world is one of my favorite canvases, and it was a joy to look through my photos to discover what “Cloud Dancer” colored-organisms I could find.
In the collage here, I selected my favorite nature photos that I’ve taken over the past couple of years that highlight Cloud Dancer. I will definitely be on the watch in 2026 for this color, and remember to take a step back, allow my creative thinking to meditate on what the future beautiful canvas holds, rather than being so hasty to cover up the white!
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