The Costco Connection - October 2015

Inside the
lines line Inside s
arts & entertainment

Forest coloring books for adults.
“The popularity of my books has
been a huge surprise,” she tells The
Connection. “I started out creating a
book that I would like to own and color
myself. I’m thrilled beyond words that
others like them.”
Though trendy, coloring is nothing
new; in fact, the hobby has a timeless
quality that adds to its appeal, says Jeanette
Raymond, a psychologist who practices art
therapy in Los Angeles. “There’s an element of nos-
talgia and simplicity that makes it very appealing. It
takes one back to a time when you didn’t have a care
in the world.”
It’s not just fun and fluff, either; coloring can
have mental health benefits, says Raymond. The rep-
etition of the pen strokes can soothe and focus the
mind, she says. “It’s like chanting, but without the
mantra or trying to meditate. You don’t have to feel
foolish or try to focus on your breathing. It takes the
pressure off.”
Those who find coloring relaxing and enjoyable
might consider taking it a step further into art therapy,
a form of psychotherapy that promotes self-expres-
sion and healing through collage, drawing, painting,
creating 3D objects and sculpting, she notes.

With ready-made scenes begging to be filled in, coloring appeals to those who feel drawn to art but can’t muster the creative mojo to start an artistic

By Malia Jacobson

COSTCO MEMBER Laurie Foley, an insurance claims representative from Rainier, Washington, started coloring for fun when her son, Gavin, was a toddler, pilfering pages from his pint-size books when she needed to unwind from a stressful day. Soon she was setting aside kiddie coloring pages, with their wafer-thin newsprint and childish designs, for more grown-up coloring books with intricate, swirling nature scenes.

Today, she colors almost daily, often alongside Gavin, now 8.

“Coloring gives you a break from the everyday
stresses,” Foley says. “You kind of escape reality and
focus on a single task, and you’re in charge of the
decisions. It’s soothing.”
Foley isn’t alone in her ardor for this age-old art
form. From kids and parents who color together to
singles who color solo, fans are filling up coloring
books with fervor and turning adult coloring books
into best-sellers.