JKLTip Make more art and help other people make more art
The simple act of making accomplishes many things. Creating teaches us to learn something that has no end. Art is used in therapy because it helps us learn to both interpret and create emotion.
Creating something that wouldn’t exist otherwise forces us to be vulnerable and brave. Art gives us a practical appreciation that failure is not what we think it is.
Art does not have an endgame, it is simply about landing somewhere, at some time with a project. It helps us gain perspective as to how big this world really is. Of how unique every individual is. Think about it, with all of the people in the world, it is still difficult to repeat the same piece.
Yet, it is incredibly universal in the sense that it doesn’t succumb to language barriers. It isn’t limited by our ability to communicate in a specific way. Art builds bridges through interpretation and story between cultures, generations, and geography.
It Can Be Simple
The low barrier to creating is truly incredible too. It’s kind of like working out. While it can be fun to share and remark over, we don’t have to. Art is an activity we could do entirely on our own and keep entirely to ourselves. Yet have it can still help craft our identity.
For kids or adults alike, it is a boost of confidence knowing you can make things that represent only you. If others connect with it, that’s a great bonus too. But the key point is that there is no end goal. I think as parents, and teachers this is where we get it wrong sometimes.
This should be something that helps us recover. Done right, art supports our recovery from the rapid pace of society, the stress we put on ourselves, or the advanced struggles stemming from things like trauma and addiction.
Artwork aside, creativity is a valuable capacity to increase for every workplace. In order to have our art truthfully rooted in creativity, we must remove the expectation of specific results. So, whether it’s for you, or for someone else, try to find ways to make more art.