The Transformative Power of Art
Have you ever been lost in music, in a painting, in a flower, in a sunset? Did you feel an energy shift in your body? In the book, Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, the authors say that just by looking, the arts and aesthetics can change, heal and transform your life. “So the arts and aesthetics can quite literally rewire your brain.”
Inner Critic
The most forceful hindrance to creating is that obnoxious inner critic. When my energy is stuck there is doubt and confusion. The way I overcome the doubt is to make just one non-judgmental mark on the canvas and see where it takes me. Sometimes it’s ok to not know where you are going because “If your mind is empty it is always ready for anything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few” from Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki.
Present and Aware
When I am in the process of creating a painting I am present, aware and open to possibilities. Painting is my teacher and it is like having a conversation with myself. Sometimes I can’t wait for a mistake or problem to come up because then I can have fun finding a creative solution.
As I learned from reading Your Brain on Art, the world comes in through my senses and these sensory experiences connect the pathways in my brain. In the process of creating a painting my brain is constantly being rewired and this keeps the energy moving.