Benefits of Art

Editor’s Note:

We often read and hear people talk about different forms of art. Many of us feel that we cannot indulge ourselves in any form of art. What are the views of a self taught artist who has reintroduced art into her life after retirement? A passionate and heartfelt account of the ‘Benefits Of Art’. Hope you also enjoy the accompanying video on the benefits of art for everyone, posted on our YouTube channel and embedded at the end of this article.

What is Art?

Art is an imagination, creation and expression by a person. It is an excellent way to communicate without using spoken or written words. An artist creates a visual message in the form of a picture or sculpture etc. This allows one to share his world – his thoughts, views, imagination, emotions, feelings etc. These are then interpreted by the viewer who tries to draw meaning by connecting himself with the art or tries to understand where the artist is coming from. Thus art is two way exchange of powerful communication.

Medium for promoting self expression, feelings and emotions

We are born with an innate desire to communicate and express ourselves using all means, art being one of them. Art can thus be interpreted as just a different language or medium of communication.

Art for You and Me

Is art for all? A question commonly asked by all who lose touch with the child within. This has been aptly answered by Ananda Coomaraswamy, a metaphysician, pioneering historian and philosopher of Indian art and groundbreaking theorist who was largely responsible for introducing ancient Indian art to the West:

The artist is not a special kind of person; rather each person is a special kind of artist.

Ananda Coomaraswamy

Art as a powerful tool

Art is a creative engagement of the mind to connect things and invent new visual ways to communicate. It can also be interpreted to mean – a way of living one’s life. For some it could also mean purposeful play.

Apart from the obvious benefits of art as a means of communicating one’s feelings and emotions, art also gives a sense of time and era, a sense of place, the customs, the practices of the time and more. One of the oldest examples of this is the cave paintings and wall carvings such as in the Egyptian pyramids and those of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Art for Self Discovery

Another benefit of Art is that it helps us to connect deeply with ourselves. Art lets you dive deep into yourself and discover who you are. It helps you to discover and find your wholeness. It leads you to become who you truly are as opposed to aping others and become like everyone around you.

Art improves creative skills

Art and creativity are strongly inter-related. A critically important benefit of art is that it is a creative activity which lets you connect deeply with your inner self and the world at large. The uncertainty of life leads to creativity and art as a medium of its expression. In fact it has been aptly enumerated that uncertainty should ignite creativity and not complacency. Even the Nobel laureate Albert Einstein said:

Creativity is intelligence having fun.

Albert Einstein

Art as a source of joy

Indulging and engaging in the process of creation requires skill, focus, dedication and patience. The end result and the process – the journey undertaken in the creation of each piece of art – brings to one a sense of achievement and accomplishment. This in turn brings us fulfilling joy, happiness and a deep sense of satisfaction for the labour of love put into the creation.

Benefits of Art as a tool to deal with stress and anxiety.

Art has the ability to lower Cortisol, the primary stress hormone in the body. Indulging in creative activities lets you take a break from the normal, usual and the mundane acts of your everyday life. This lets you become calm and at peace.

It helps you become clear by de-focusing from the routine. It is noteworthy here that one need not be an artist to gain this benefit. The level of accomplishment as an artist has no relevance to reducing cortisol. Anybody, with any level of skill, in any medium of art, can deep dive into this passion to relieve himself of stress and anxiety.

Art to the rescue – Increases resilience and confidence

Engaging in any process of creation indulges the brain into analyzing various options and making several decisions. This makes our mental health better and we become more resilient to the vagaries of life. For example decision making comes into play in choosing – the art form, medium to express oneself, what to create – how the ultimate thing will appear, finalizing the processes and steps to achieve the imagined end, the colours to use and the effects to be given to the art work etc. This in turn stimulates the brain to brainstorm and think in different ways. To look for possibilities, options and solutions. This makes us mentally tough and resilient to change. Mental toughness in turn boosts our confidence for we get the feeling that we can handle things without getting bogged down.

Art is good for mental health

Indulging in any form of creation engrosses you into focusing on the task at hand. It helps you take your mind away from overwhelming thoughts. It has a meditative effect.

Art helps you distract from things and mindsets that lower your self esteem and to concentrate on your strength. It changes your perception, your frame of reference from your weakness or lack of resources to what is and that which is available.

Related Read: Mental Health for all in an unequal world

It facilitates positive perspectives. This in turn gives you a feeling of gratitude, a sense of abundance and uplifts your mood. One of the great benefits of art is that it enables letting off any pent up emotions and aids in healing.

Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Pablo Picasso

Art for fulfillment

Art promotes a sense of personal independence and self sufficiency. Seeing a completed work of art that you have created stimulates the release of Dopamine – the feel good hormone. It lowers the feeling of depression and increases one’s self confidence.

Conclusion

We began by understanding that art is imagination and imagination is limitless and all pervasive.

We examined so many benefits of art, and I would like to conclude with this quote by Albert Einstein, the Nobel laureate and theoretical physicist, universally acknowledged to be one of the two greatest physicists of all time:

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Albert Einstein

Editor’s Note:

Google’s Featured Snippet from this article on ‘Benefits of Art’ highlights it’s ability to lower cortisol, the primary stress hormone in the body and bid adieu to stress!

If you enjoyed reading this article you may also want to read about the ‘Art Therapy’ by Artist Manju Jain that discusses the benefits of viewing art and how to connect mind and body with inner self through art.

Featured Snippet on Google for benefits of art by Manju Jain

About The Author

A graduate in Science from the University of Delhi (India), Artist Manju Jain finds solace in the arms of Art. She is passionate about painting her dreams and has enjoyed drawing and painting since childhood. Manju has been showcasing her work at various Art Exhibitions since 2015.

She is a grandmother. A happy person who loves to experiment with all types of paints ranging from water colours to gold-leaf based paintings. Manju has tried her hands on different mediums – Glass, Marble, Canvas, Fabric etc.