We are moving mountains with our paintbrush.
As a group, we are painting the same subject, but we are painting our own subjects in our own way. Learning, growing and connecting with each other and more importantly with ourselves. In the virtual painting club, every painting poses a new set of challenges for the student and for the teacher, me. To me there is beauty in the student teacher relationship. To me it is exhilarating to see my words and brush strokes get repeated by the students with their own hands. Each stroke is just a little different as different as the hands creating them. Therein lies the beauty.
Are you curious how painting can not only give you a sense of community but it can positively impact your mood?
Did you know that art really is good for you? “Decades of research have demonstrated that in people with dementia and other progressive neurological diseases, the ability to create art remains long after speech and language have diminished. Research has also shown that creating visual art can reduce stress and promote relaxation in people who are hospitalized or homebound due to illness.” This is according to a study by Harvard Women’s Health Watch. Can you imagine the impact painting can have on someone who has all their faculties? The emotional resilience of someone who paints and creates is a lot higher. I know when my father was diagnosed with early onset dementia creating art helped him cope. So if you are bouncing through your day with the craziness of most of us, I urge you to take a minute and create. Your brain will appreciate it.
