When I was little, my Mom was always doing art with us. We would paint and draw, we'd make paper mache and sculptures, It was like living in an art studio 24/7.
And my Mom was a great teacher. She inspired me to continue with my art when I wasn't in the mood or when I got discouraged. And she supported me with my jewelry business and also my collages.
So yes, you could say I am an artist, but that's not what this post in about. This post is about the healing powers art has had upon me and can have upon you as well.
Even if you do not consider yourself artistic at all, you may be surprised at how meditative art can actually be.
During some of my hardest days it was collage that held me together. I would spend hours upstairs in my house where my own little studio was, and work on collages until my hands hurt.
But all my cares melted away as I concentrated only in that moment. Collage was the only thing on my mind, food and worry were far off in the distance.
I continued to use my art as therapy, making something whenever I felt stressed or needed to take a deep breath. Collage kept me from acting out on my Ed's commands and allowed me to listen to my own voice instead.
Since I have found art so helpful, I thought I'd give you a little exercise to try if you want to. Something that worked for me when I was having a rough day was writing out some words of hope and wisdom, and creating art out of them.
Like I said earlier, you don't have to be an artist to make art. Art can take on many forms and every one is beautiful. All that matters is that you like it and you're proud of it.
So find a quote or a saying, or even just a word that gives you strength. Write it out in whatever way you want and make it look pretty. Get lost in this world of color and design.
Focus on the way your pen moves on the paper, the way your hands feels as it moves.
Soon you will find a sense of comfort, freedom in your artwork. You will find that the time flies by and you are at peace when you are finished.
Use this technique whenever you need to or create your own way of bringing art into your daily life.
What's your favorite way to be an artist? Does making art give you the same sense of freedom as it does me? If you don't like art, what kind of coping methods do you find helpful?
xoxo
Tayla