Well, my dad is color blind, red/green, and he is sort of a black and white guy, but I don’t think it has anything to do with his ability to see color. My father, even though color blind, loves nature, natural scenic areas, the mountains, forest, ocean, you mention you don’t remember paintings and faces, but do you remember or not appreciate anything visual?
I did a puzzle with my dad last time he was here. I swear I don’t know how he puts together two pieces. The puzzle was very detailed, very difficult, varying shades of pink, blue, green red, really complex, and he was getting some of it done and then at one point said to me, “do you see any pieces that have this pattern of light and dark grey?” It was pink and fuscia. I couldn’t believe it, even though I know he is color blind. I guess he focuses more on the pattern and compensates. Still, when that puzzle was done he loved it (not just because we did it together, but loved the scene), was upset I was going to break it up. He can’t perceive the entire scope of how beautiful the picture is, not like I can, but it was still beautiful to him.
Growing up helping my dad with color was kind of a neat thing actually. Almost like translating for a parent who cannot speak the language of the new country. The building where I went to the doctor when I was little was very confusing, and you would be directed to follow the green line to dermatology, or red line to Pediatrics, etc. We had to do it for him, he couldn’t see the color of most of the lines. Also, every time I wore blue he would tell me how much he liked that shirt or dress. Made sense, it was one of the colors he can see. So I knew if I wore blue he liked it. I buy him a lot of blue also for gifts.
Oh, I just noticed this is in general, I hope my rambling did not bother the OP or the mods, we’ll see.