How to start?
Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh once said, “if you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint’, then by all mean paint, and the voice will be silenced”.
If you think that Art is not the thing for you, think twice. Maybe the only drawing you could ever make was a house made of 4 geometrical shapes, but you might be good at dancing or sewing or playing music.
Do your research and find what suits you best. Enroll in a workshop, learn new skills, and start the healing.
But how does Art heal you?
Art improves your memory, this is why Alzheimer’s patients are often asked to draw and paint to help recall their memory. Creativity is also a wonderful activity for your brain, it helps it function better, and at the same time it distracts you from all the daily stress, it clears your thoughts exactly like meditation, and fights against depression.
Art therapy as a profession began in the mid-20th century. It is applied to reduce physical, mental or emotional problems, diseases and disorders. People can escape the emotional effects of illness through art. The Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo Herself, began to paint after a bus accident, to occupy herself during her recovery.
With all those art benefits, one will start to envy the artists, those who are gifted with creativity and imagination. Yet ironically, artists sometimes need art therapy themselves, because working in creative agencies for example can be very stressful, with high levels of time pressure, and tight deadlines.