Being creative relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, and imparts other mental health benefits. But how can living with art be beneficial for your mental well-being?
It starts when you are little, when your mum sticks your artwork on the refrigerator door to boost your self-esteem. Why does this act and positive feeling stop at some time in our lifes? Do we feel, we have outgrown to create art or maybe are not talented enough? But instead we should go on as creating art increases the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine.
Dopamine has been called the “motivation molecule” which we always need, especially in times like today.
The Arts boosts drive, focuses concentration and stimulates communication between various parts of our brain. In this way, creating art has been proven to increase psychological and emotional resilience and resistance to stress.
Therefor we should always be doing something creative. It can be also cooking, knitting, gardening or photography, anything that stimulates our senses.
Very often, adults who are not interested in creating art themselves start collecting art. This has not the same effect as they are in mainly art consumers and not creators themselves.
But there are also many benefits when a house is filled with art and if you have not the means and knowledge to start a collection you could also just get your daily dose of culture with the Daily Art app or follow your favourite art magazine or artist.
Do you remember that feeling when you were a child and your parents took you to the museum? First you did not want to go and after the visit you always felt happy and inspired.
It’s still like this today. Sometimes I visit an exhibition because I think I have to as it is the talk of the town or I like the artist and it always gives me so much impact and joy when I am returning home.
This is maybe why our house is filled with art. I started collecting small pieces from fellow students of the Fine Art major when I studied at Parsons School of Design in Paris and I collected vintage magazines, tore out the advertisement and had them framed nicely to hang them on my kitchen wall.
You don’t need money to start a collection or to hang art in your house, but you need the eye to notice what gives you pleasure and is art for you. You can heal with art and art therapies, but you can also stay healthy and open minded by surrounding yourself with art.
