New season, new color palette. How subtle can the colors be and still encourage a feeling of place? Is color a requirement?

From a Client: Your work “Distant Mystery” shocked me more than anything I’ve seen in my life. I am from Russia and I miss snowy endless landscapes of Russian winter, so no surprise this work of your has awakened a storm of emotions. It reminds me of beautiful frozen lakes I’ve had a chance to admire in my homeland and which I miss so much here in California.