Heart Felt Love
Expressing myself through art has been my saviour during this past year of lockdowns and social distancing.
The artist Henri Matisse had the right idea when he said,
“Look at life with the eyes of a child”.
I am finding this quote to be so helpful, trying not to think too deeply about the troubling situation we find ourselves in but instead to notice the beautiful things around me, noticing the silence, the birds singing, appreciating the buds on the trees and the new life of the bulbs peeping through the soil, snow, frost, fun and relaxing. And for me, especially trying to see the positives instead of hearing the negatives…much like a child does. Matisse’s quote relates to his art and I wholeheartedly agree with him… art is definitely my therapy, my way of releasing tension, my love of creating is also my way of giving something back to society and is to share what I am absolutely passionate about and love to share with adults and children1
Too often we overthink things as adults do! we decide we aren’t artistic, we have been told we are not creative because parents are not creative, or a teacher make one negative comment so we often never bother to try again for along time…if ever, and I speak from experience! But to never try is to miss out on one of the greatest joys of life, that of expressing ourselves creatively…..it may just be by doodling or decorating but have fun :-).
Of course, you might find yourself a bit disappointed the first time you try to do something creative or pick up a paintbrush, especially if you expect to create a perfect work of art at your first attempt. I had the same feeling when I started to learn to drive, disastrous attempt lol but that is for another day! But I didn’t give up at the first hurdle!
Art isn’t just about painting, and it isn’t just about turning out pretty pictures. I find that doing art has a tremendous benefit in itself – a kind of therapy that uplifts my spirit. You can find the same uplifting experience in dance, music, sculpture, and many more creative activities.
My creative pleasure comes from using texture and colour in various art media – you’ll have seen on my website how I work in four different media, each of which has its beautiful characteristics.
So what is it about creating art that is so good for the soul?
Art can be a great stress reliever. To spend time away from all the things you have to do and instead devote time to something you want to do allows you to forget those stresses and relax. Reducing stress isn’t the only benefit of art. A pleasant distraction from things that worry us is always good for mental wellbeing and reduces depression.
Being immersed in a creative pastime can be like meditation. And at the end of it, you have that sense of satisfaction because you achieved something.
Start with baby steps
If you’ve ever watched a child paint, you’ll have seen how immersed they are in their artwork. It doesn’t matter that their trees look like lollipops or their people look like matchstick men. Many a mature artist has deliberately set out to achieve the same thing!
Matisse was talking sense when he suggested we look at life as a child.
Some tips to help you start with art:
- Be kind to yourself – you are starting on an exciting journey, and there’s no rush
- You don’t need to spend a fortune – student quality is okay (but avoid very cheap quality materials that could put you off)
- You don’t need dozens of colours – you can mix pretty much anything from red, yellow, and blue!
- Look at art in various styles and several different media – art galleries are closed for visiting but always open online.
Enjoy your artistic journey and all the benefits it will bring.
