Arts For Wellbeing | rediscover art
Practicing art or expressing one’s own creativity can have a powerful and positive effect on a person’s self-esteem and wellbeing. Despite what you might think ‘being creative’ is a relatively universal human behaviour – we can all appreciate colours, shapes, forms and symbolism – so art can break down barriers and build a common language across different cultures, backgrounds and abilities.
Not Creative? | rediscover your creativity
We often hear people say “I’m just not creative”. But go into any nursery or primary school, and yes, every child is in fact creative. As children we all used our imagination and we were all creative. It’s almost as though some of us ‘grow out’ of being creative, we get consumed by numbers and language, logic and systems, and then our work and careers take over and for most of us our creative bent just falls away, and gets shut away in the ‘not often used’ cupboard somewhere. Then, because it rarely sees light of day, we just end up saying “I’m just not creative”.
Well the reality is we can all be creative again – if we allow ourselves to be. We can regain our former creative selves, and we can re-kindle our imaginations – it’s not childlike and what’s more it’s good for you. Yes, being creative bolsters confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. It allows you to create something unique, something from nothing, something meaningful and something totally personal to you and your own imagination. It’s quite satisfying to take something from nothing, just from your imagination, play around with it, then make a up a design and turn that into a reality.
Expressing ourselves by creating, crafting and making, or whatever form it may take, can remind ourselves of our abilities and our possibilities. It can remove a mental block, or a feeling of being ‘stuck’ and who knows even uncover a hidden talent. What’s more it’s never too late to start – all you need to do is open that cupboard door – the one ‘not often used’.
Always remember, in reality there is no such thing as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ art – there is just ‘art’. Appreciating art is all about perception, how we see it, or what we see in it. We don’t all have the same taste in music, and similarly we don’t all have the same taste in other forms of art too. So don’t worry too much about quality, to start with just focus on quantity – just create and see what happens.
Inspired By Nature | creative workshops and experiences
human-nature, supported by our artists’ collaboration thescapeartists will be running regular events and creative workshops, with a range of indoor and outdoor activities linking to themes about nature, gardens and landscapes. We will be doing these activities from the best landscapes and green spaces our area has to offer. From nature photography to environmental art, from garden design to garden art, from mosaic making to bird box making – from simply picking up a pencil, to throwing a pot or two.
Check our Events Calendar to see what’s on.