Ever watch a kid color with crayons?

They’re totally engrossed in what they’re doing.  They aren’t concerned with staying in the lines and they don’t fuss much with color or tool selection.  They just create.  If there’s a blue crayon close at hand, they color with a blue crayon.

What is it about art that draws us in? Why do we create? What do we benefit?

I’ve been researching again…

Art is a non-verbal way to express ourselves.  By creating art we are able to communicate in a way that is comfortable to us without the limitations that may come with verbal communication.

That makes sense.

And it is a form of relaxation.  Painting, or sewing or cooking (whatever your form of art); the process of art making can be an escape.  Or a distraction.

That makes sense too.

But I wanted to know more.

I found an article while searching…The 21 Reasons You Should Make Art, by Adam Singer and ‘this reason’ caught my attention.

You will learn things about yourself you didn’t know.

I’ve often heard that but was never quite sure exactly what it meant, or, more specifically, how those realizations come about.  How do we learn things about ourselves?

He says: During hours spent alone engaged in your creative task, your thoughts and mindset will be shifted into a state of complete freedom from stress, anxiety and negativity.

I can understand that too.  Its the way kids are when they’re coloring.

I guess I just never considered it as a shift in mindsets.

It makes sense though.  If we’re willing to completely surrender to the (art) task at hand – and by exercising this ability regularly – we justmightcould (yes, that’s a word) learn to ‘go with the flow’ – even after the art making session is over.

This is easy for kids to do because they haven’t been exposed to any self-limiting mindsets yet…don’t color outside the lines!!

They’re comfortable with the art they create because their art is totally honest.

And that’s where the good stuff is.