You need art in your life. No, really. It might not be what you think of when you're trying to find ways to boost your mental health—you probably picture things like therapy, medication, or exercise—but there's plenty of evidence that taking up a creative hobby or returning to one you used to love can make a real difference in your overall well being.
Art is a way to express yourself, and expressing yourself can help you to feel more confident, connected with others and in touch with your emotions.
For example, if you're having trouble finding the words to describe how you feel about something that's happening in your life right now, art can help you find those words by giving voice to the thoughts and feelings that are swirling through your mind. And as an added bonus, expressing these thoughts and feelings through art will likely lead you down paths that lead to new insights about who you are as an individual.
Art can help you process trauma. Art is a way to externalize your feelings, and a way to get in touch with them. It's also a valuable release of the stress you might be feeling. When you're creating art, especially if it's something that has been on your mind for awhile, it can be cathartic and help release some of that tension and fear or anger. Art can also be an expression of what is going on inside of you—the good, the bad and the ugly—and by expressing those emotions through art, we are able to cope better with them.
Another benefit of making art is that it helps us focus on something else besides our pain or suffering for awhile because our creative brain is always working whether we are doing creative tasks or not!
Art can be a gateway to meeting people who share your interests.
Art is a great way to make new friends, especially if you have similar interests. If you like art or music, it may not be hard for you to find someone with similar tastes and start a conversation about it.
An important part of making art is finding the supplies you need. The good news is that there are plenty of places to look for these supplies and many of them don't cost much at all. Here are some ideas:
In your home: You may have old coloring books, markers, crayons, colored pencils and paint lying around somewhere in your house. If you do have a stash of unused art supplies at home, consider rounding up the materials on a rainy day or when you have time to kill and make something!
Thrift stores: A thrift store might not be able to provide everything in one stop; however they can still be an excellent place to find many common art supply items like pencils or markers. They usually sell pens as well which come in handy if you have any writing assignments due soon! If you're looking for something specific like oil paints then try asking about those first before buying anything else just incase none were available but otherwise it's worth checking out since prices tend not be very high (usually less than $5).
Drawing is a great way to relax. Drawing is a way to get in touch with your emotions and feelings.
Drawing can help you relieve stress and anxiety, which are often the result of being in an overly analytical mind frame. Being able to relax and let go of those stressful thoughts is important for maintaining mental health, because it allows the brain to take a break from all that thinking about problems and can help prevent burnout or depression.
Art is a way to express yourself. It gives you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective and it may help you see things that you have never seen before. Art can also help you see things that you have seen before, but in a different light.
Art can become a regular part of your routine.
Whether you're taking an art class or workshop, or just working on your own in your studio, it's important to set aside time each week to make art. Doing this will help you build up a habit of creating—which is essential for maintaining your creative momentum over the long run. You may also find that the structure provided by having a weekly scheduled time to create helps make it easier for you to get started when inspiration strikes. Art is meant to be fun and enjoyable; don't let yourself feel guilty about dedicating time just for yourself!
Art is a great way to boost your brain health as you age. One study found that people who participated in art activities were more likely to report better memory than those who did not. The benefits don't just stop at mental health; other research has shown that art can help reduce stress levels and even improve physical health, too! So get creative and start making!
The most important thing to remember about art is that it's all about expression, creativity and communication. Art can help you express what's in your heart and mind. It can also help you communicate with others.
Art doesn't have to be something abstract or complicated—you don't need to be a professional artist or even know how to draw. You can use whatever medium feels comfortable for you, like pencils or crayons or paint on paper; if you're feeling ambitious, try using clay or wood as a medium too! The possibilities are endless!
You might not know that there are different kinds of art like figurative (depiction of people), abstract (nonrepresentational) and surrealism (surrealism).
While it's not necessary to create something that's meant to be put on display in a famous museum, the act of creating art can still be a powerful and positive experience. You don't have to create something that's perfect—you can just make it yours. Art is a way for you to express who you are and what matters most to you, so if what matters most is that your art looks exactly like Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, then by all means go paint your own version!
If creating art isn't as much fun as looking at other people’s work or buying beautiful pieces of artwork from galleries or online shops, there are still plenty of ways for you to connect with others through art:
Art is a way to express yourself. Art can help you process trauma. Art can help you meet people who share your interests. Art can help you relax, and it can even give you something fun to look forward to every week!
In high school, my art teacher told us that it's important for everyone to create something that is uniquely their own. It doesn't have to be anything big; even if it's just a tiny doodle, putting it out there into the world reminds us that we matter too much not only as human beings but also as artists ourselves.
Pop quiz: what do we have in common with the masters of art like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Leonardo Da Vinci? Of course, we can all point to our love for art! But more importantly, we share a passion for creating. Sharing your creative vision with the world gives you a renewed sense of self and simply makes you happier. If you've ever considered yourself an artist, but never picked up a paintbrush or have been afraid to try something new—go for it! What's stopping you? Now go out there and create your masterpiece by finding an art class at your local community center or college.
Corey Wesley is a bit of an entrepreneur! How do I know this? Because he influenced me to write this copy, after reading his blog post about a "no-brainer" topic like creating good content.
To some, it's the "tagging" and scribbles on the sides of buildings that local governments deem vandalism. But to others (like Wesley), graffiti is a form of art. "Graffiti and street art is a form of expression," he says. "It's a way for an artist to express themselves, their feelings — whatever they want people to see."
However, this misunderstanding between the two groups has resulted in many artists keeping their work under wraps. So finding artists was one challenge Wesley had to overcome while starting his business.
But now that he's been running online galleries for almost two years, Wesley found out another issue: Many people don't think graffiti or street art can be beautiful or valuable. At least not until they find out how much it costs!
That said, by educating his audience about what makes these works so special (and why they're worth investing in), Wesley hopes more people will realize that some graffiti and street art can be art and not just urban vandalism.
Wesley went to college for communications but left after two years, and moved to Chicago for four years only to come back to New York City. Wesley's decision to drop out of college was not an easy one, but Wesley felt it was the best thing for him at the time. After years in Chicago, he wanted to be in New York City with his friends and family so he could pursue his dream of being a curator. When asked about leaving school, Wesley explained that having your friends and family around you is more important than what people think.
You don't have to be a statistician or the CEO of a large corporation to know that the odds of becoming one of the few minority-owned businesses that thrive in New York City are low. Yet, despite these odds, curatorial director and art dealer Corey Wesley has made it work. The success of his business has brought him more than money; it has allowed him to build a community in which he can support other black artists and art enthusiasts, who often feel isolated by a culture they love but find themselves pushed out of. "I think my biggest problem is that I still haven't built enough of a community," laments Wesley. "I'm trying to do things where we can all make good money together."
It is often defined as any painting, sculpture, or graffiti put on public spaces for the purpose of public appreciation. The artists don't get paid for their work, and it goes up in cities around the world, from New York and London to Thailand and Brazil. That's why it's also often called "urban art."
The artist Banksy is probably everyone's favorite street artist. You may have heard that he recently set up a shop in New York City. It was pretty meta: The shop sold paintings that were painted by him, but they were all unsigned. Many people lined up to buy them, never knowing that they were getting something made by Banksy himself!
Another famous street artist who works under an alias is "Invader," a Frenchman who draws pixelated aliens inspired by the video game Space Invaders on walls across big cities around the world. He usually puts them in high places so they are difficult to reach without some climbing equipment.
Be sure to check out the online store that bears the Milton Wes name. This retailer has built a reputation for selling graffiti and street art at affordable prices, and it continues to expand by adding new designs every month. Here you can purchase canvas art, framed prints, books, clothing, accessories, and much more. With all the different styles of artwork available on the Milton Wes website, it's easy to find what suits your taste best.
The brand is known for its vibrant colors and bold prints that appeal to those who prefer not less conventional home decorating options than what they might find elsewhere. The focus on affordability ensures that everyone can buy something from this shop without feeling like they're breaking the bank when making an aesthetic decision about their living space.
