Pablo Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Many of us go through life without experiencing much art. We may not be the “artsy” type, or we may simply fill our time with other things. After work, relationships, and crashing at the end of the day, it seems like there’s no time left over for art projects or art appreciation. If you think your life is just as good without art, though, think again. Here are some of our favorite attributes of art and some of the ways it can improve our lives.
It Improves Our Minds
Creating art helps our brains to grow. Our brains are always changing, and the more we engage them, the easier it is to make connections and improve neural pathways. When we create art, be it visual, dramatic, or musical, we’re connecting different parts of our brains, and we’re helping expand our intelligence and our neuroplasticity. So when it comes to art, it isn’t just fun–it can even make us smarter.
It Connects Us to Others
Art has an incredible power to draw people together. Art can change social conversations, and help people heal after a traumatic event. Art is a way to express what’s typically unseen, so an evening at the art gallery can help us expand our understanding of the world. Even something simple, like wearing artisan-designed bohemian jewelry can help connect you to others–you’re expressing a part of yourself for the world to see, and someone else may appreciate that expression. Connections can be made over something as simple as jewelry, so when it comes to its power to connect us, never underestimate art.
It Connects Us to Ourselves
Besides connecting us to others, art also connects us to ourselves. We can get out of touch with ourselves, hiding behind work and stress and never truly processing our emotions or thoughts. Art is a way to slow down and get in touch with our inner feelings, so whether you’re finger-painting with mood-colors or taking photographs to hang as Canvas Prints, art can help you realize who you are.
It Helps Us Grow
Besides having the power to connect, art has the power to grow us as people. We’ve already talked about how art can grow our minds, but it can also challenge our way of thinking. A stroll through a gallery has the power to change our perception of things, or at least to get us thinking.
Art is personal, and it can be like a conversation between the artist and the viewer. A simple song can say more about tyranny or loneliness than an entire book, so keep your eyes and heart open when it comes to art. The message may be simple, or it may be complex, but either way, it’s a nonverbal conversation that can help us grow as people.
Your existence doesn’t have to hinge on art, and it probably won’t. Still, don’t let your life go by without some artistic interaction. A powerful tool, art may just be what’s missing from your daily life.
