The Health Benefits of Art

In the last couple of weeks, I have started going with my husband to the parks and started painting outdoors again. I felt I needed to be surrounded by nature in order to get inspired. And I did. While painting outdoors, I discovered that I was very happy. I felt at peace and connected to nature. I felt relax, less anxious and more energies. I forgot about my problems and I didn't feel tired. I don't know if it was a combination of both, nature and art, but I felt healthy. As a result, this month I decided to point out some of the benefits art can provide to our health.

What are the health benefits of doing art?

1) Art encourages creative thinking, enhances problem-solving skills and encourage us to come up with our own solution. Art boosts our brain by boosting our imagination and stimulating both left and right brain hemispheres. This helps us deal better with the rational and logic part of the brain and maximize our creativity and emotions. Art also helps the brain get new connections, helping increase brain connectivity and plasticity.

2) Art boosts our self-esteem and provides us with a sense of accomplishment. I see it all the time at the art studio when a student gets all excited that he/she was able to finish a drawing or a painting which he/she never thought she could do it.

3) Art also helps us create new connections in the brain. Learning to hold and handle a brush and/or pencil helps stimulate that connection between the hand movement and the brain.

4) Art works as a type of meditation by helping us concentrate on details and pay more attention to our environment. It also helps us relieve stress and make us feel calm and at peace. Creating art provides the brain with a distraction and a break from unhealthy thoughts and problems.

5) Finally, art helps us with our emotions creating harmony between our heart, soul, and our brain.

So next time you feel a little bit down, distracted or forgetful, just come to the studio and lets create some art.

Best,

Vanessa

For more information, visit vanessamontenegro.com

©2016 Vanessa Montenegro
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