My Barn Burned Down

Painting and Drawing Lower Stress
As an artist, you probably already know that after just an hour of working on one of your creations you usually feel better and are more relaxed. Scientists have now confirmed that tapping into your creativity on a regular, concentrated basis helps lower cortisol, an unhealthy key indicator of stress.

This arrived in my inbox this AM from Michael’s Art Supply (along with a 40% discount coupon! That’ll lower stress!). No wonder I love to paint and to meditate. I’m a high strung Virgo/Scorpio/Aries type (Sun/Ascendant/Moon) and the only thing I really need to do much more of is exercise and meditation.  I know so many people who are so stressed these days for so many reasons, but have not recognized or given themselves ways to de-stress. (Oh, I don’t have time for that: THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO). I am reminded of Anwar Sadat’s approach: “I have so much to do today I’d better spend an extra hour in prayer” (paraphrased). I think he had the right idea. Time is more fluid than we think and actually slowing down the mind, de-stressing, allows space for more to get done in the same amount of time.

Even if we don’t want to become a great painter, simply sketching, especially outdoors, focuses the mind and relaxes it. As long as you don’t judge yourself for your drawing, that is! Writing, creative cooking, dancing, listening to or making music all do it as well. I can’t speak about the “runner’s zone” I’ve heard of, unfortunately, but it sounds the same. The left brain finally shuts up.

I’m watching Lesson 10 of the Legacy course and it is a couple of hours long of color theory, value and chroma studies, and am simultaneously watching a voice in my mind tapping its nails on a formica countertop and wondering when we get to the painting the masterpiece part? For me, this is where stress comes in: not being able to be in the moment, wanting the desired result without doing the foundational work. Once I DO it, this voice shuts up and I do get into the artist’s zone, relaxed and loving the colors just as they are; so I guess the lesson is, yes, read about it, listen about it, but the benefits only come when you do it.

Like meditation.

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