The Joy of Art

Creativity has been a key element of the human experience since a time that predates history. From engraving shells and painting caves to creating 3D printed sculptures, art has and always will serve as an emotional and cultural outlet. Art is easily forgotten as it has grown with us throughout history, but it is everywhere – the pattern on your phone case, natural geometry all around you, the music that you hear and the food that you eat. We are constantly observing others’ creations, but how often do you let yourself create?

The benefits of creating are endless, but to name a few…

• Productivity: Creating something, whether it is a finished piece or is forever ongoing, leaves you feeling productive because you have achieved something by putting your mind to it and created something purely using your own power and energy. That is something to congratulate yourself on and feel proud of.

• Getting To Know Yourself: Creating allows subconscious thoughts and emotions to arise that you may have been completely unaware of until you mindfully meditate through creative expression. You may also learn that you can draw, paint, collage, dance, sing, photograph, write, sculpt etc. much better than you initially believed once you truly try it.

• Emotional Release and Stress Relief: More and more studies have begun to highlight how well art therapy succeeds in treating depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and some phobias as it serves as an outlet for self-expression without depending on verbalisation to provide a release. It is important to balance the hard work often tethered to adult life by dedicating time to release and relief.

• Surrounded by Beauty: Separating art from its cultural links and taking it to a simplified and personal level reveals the fact that art revolves around beauty and aesthetics. Whether it is defying or obeying these aesthetics, art is beautiful and the creation of it generates a blissful environment that is bound to enhance your emotional state.

It is easy to become intimidated by our own creations, fearful of judgment and of the end result not meeting expectations. When these anxieties and judgments arise, it is important to remind yourself that art is about the process of creation rather than simply the product that comes out at the end. Try not to create for the end result, but simply to create for the sake of creating. With this mindset, it becomes much easier to dedicate some creative time to yourself. It is not about creating the next Van Gogh or Kahlo piece, creative energy can be accessed through any form of media that you choose. So, here are some ideas for you to get the flow going…

• Journal: Buy yourself a journal and let yourself go, write, draw, scribble, use it however you feel is right. Press flowers into it, create to-do lists and more!

• Sketch and Paint: All you need is a piece of paper and something to draw with! Or, if you want to make it a little more fun, you can always try a Bob Ross tutorial. His voice is enough to relieve and release.

• Sculpt: You can always sculpt at home with air dry clay, but why not try out a class at The Armidale Pottery Club? For more information, head to their Facebook page.

Image from The Armidale Pottery Facebook

• Collage: Not only are you using your creativity, but you can recycle while you do it! Go through those old magazines and books and cut them up. Collaging is extremely therapeutic.

• Sew and Embroider: There are plenty of simple tutorials on YouTube, such as the one below. Stitching is a useful skill to learn; you can stitch anything! To find cheap supplies, head to the op-shops craft sections; you can even find half-finished stitchings to continue working on.

• Photography: This is a good way to exercise your mind and body. If you have a camera then use it, but if not, it’s likely you at least have a phone that you can use. Experiment with your camera, and perhaps use this project to explore places that you haven’t been before.