Designed as an annual suggestion, This Year’s Colour 2010 has been sampled from the prairie crustaceous lichen. In the natural world, the brightly coloured lichen is one of the toughest things on the planet, and is the only known organism that can survive in outer space. I felt that the qualities of this plant, with its characteristics of hardiness, resilience and hope fit our times, and would be a powerful way to express ourselves in the New Year.