Art and beauty stand in close relationship and have been our topic at this week´s workshop I hosted at La Maison Valmont in Munich for clients and friends of the brand.
It was great to see that everyone has creative talent in a very different way and the nice side effect was, that art in any form, whether while creating or observing, reduces the stress hormone called cortisol. At the same time, it releases the feel-good hormones called endorphins which help you combat stress and pain.
When you create something, it lets you enjoy a sense of fulfilment, it transforms you into a more positive, well-rounded human being.
Although the connection between artistic creativity and happiness is a slippery topic. After all, what about all those less-than-happy ending stories about artists with depression or other emotional challenges? Doesn’t art come from emotional pain? But there is new research that underscores the contrary, that art has a powerful effect on us in positive ways.
It was great to see that the creative process is a source of joy for most people. Once you sit down at a table with paper, brush and paint in front of you, you just have to start painting. And just putting your favourite colour on the palette is a process that puts you in a good mood of creativity.
You may not be happy with your first line, we tend to compare ourselves to others who claim to be better, which is natural, but in the end, when the picture is complete and you’ve created something, it makes you happy.
When I got the assignment, I thought about a self-portrait workshop as we tend to look at ourselves too quickly and haphazardly. Studying your facial features, skin, eyes, lips and nose is an interesting experience in itself.
The same applies to viewing art. The more you look at art, the more dopamine and activity in the brain’s frontal cortex increase, leading to feelings of pleasure akin to those of romantic love.
What’s more, positive sensations are almost immediate when viewing an enjoyable work of art.
Painting classes or a visit to a gallery should be your weekly appointment or just take your sketchbook in the evening a draw a still-life, you will feel happy and contend.
