Art is a Biological Need, Not a Luxury
Happy World Art Day, dear reader! April 15th, a date chosen in honor of Leonardo Da Vinci’s birthday, is an internationally recognized day of celebrating the arts. And Leonardo Da Vinci is the perfect example that art is not defined by “fine art” -- art is expression, creation, imagination, observation, recording, processing. And it is a human biological need, not a luxury, to express ourselves in forms beyond words as our memory is stored in impressions, not in words. When we are children, we are often drawn to the arts via visual imagery, sound, role play, etc. As we get older, society glorifies verbal and cognitive awareness by putting down our embodied and emotional awareness and expressions rather than allowing each to have a seat at the table. Furthermore, we feel we need to make art the “right” way or to make it “beautiful.” These are dominant narratives that are not easy to shift. And it begins by noticing.
Notice what you tell yourself about art
Before you reflect on what you tell yourself about art, try to enter a non-valuing mindset, meaning, setting the intention to simply observe something without putting a value of “good/bad”, “right/wrong”, “should/shouldn’t” on it. What kinds of things do you say to yourself about art?
I can’t draw.
I want to try but something is in the way.
I’m not artistic enough.
Art is for talented people.
Art is for kids.
I’m not good at it.
I don’t want people to see how bad I am at it.
What if I fail?
What if it doesn’t look good?
Or maybe you say something totally different. First, notice what is the narrative you carry about art and art making?
Noticing shoulds, coulds, needs and wants
And now bring your attention to what types of phrasing do you use around art making?
I should make art.
I could make art.
I need to make art.
I want to make art.
Without labeling which of these sentences is “good” or “bad”, notice what sort of impact do these phrasings have on you?
For me personally, the first sentence offers a sense of obligation. The second sentence offers a sense of option. The third offers a sense of necessity. And the fourth has a sense of desire.
And there’s so many other ways we can talk about art making:
I shouldn’t make art.
I don’t want to make art.
I don’t have to make art.
I don’t need to make art.
All of these phrases are valid. It is about noticing and checking in about the words we use in our inner dialogue and the impact they have on us. Being curious if the impact is that which aligns with our values, needs, and desires. Sometimes our outer circumstances make it impossible to follow through on what we need and want to do and sometimes it is our habituated mindset that stands in the way.
Could art be an expression rather than a judgement call?
As I continue to study Art Therapy, I’m realizing that the idea of Art-making has truly been cornered and limited to creation for the sake of recognition and appreciation by others. No wonder we worry about making our drawing, painting, photography, music, singing, pottery, poetry perfect! The question “is it going to be likable?” is very different from the question “did I enjoy this?” This is why I’ve started calling visual art making with my clients “paper expressions” to signal that the art piece isn’t up for criticism or a judgement call of good or bad once it’s done. It is for our expression of self in this moment, one that lives outside of such value system.
Paper Expression #1
If you are feeling overwhelmed by an emotion, you could try balancing out that emotion on paper.
Take a piece of paper and fold it into a brochure (into three sections).
Open up the paper.
On the left side, draw and/or write using colors and symbols to represent the overwhelming emotion you are experiencing. (e.g. I’m feeling frustrated could be zigzags, “grrrr”, a color or colors that matches this feeling)
On the right side, draw and/or write using colors and symbols to represent the exact opposite of this overwhelming feeling (e.g. what is not frustrated for you, e.g. at ease/understood/relaxed)
And in the middle of the paper, draw these two emotions together, how can they coexist.
Once you are finished, see if you can locate where you feel that frustration in your body - is it a tight jaw, high blood pressure, clenched stomach. Now see if you can locate a part of your body that feels good, or at least neutral. Maybe your feet, or you back, or your hands. Shifting your attention between the two and referencing the drawing to help welcome the coexistence of emotions, perhaps even resting in the parts of your body that feel good in order to allow the parts of your body that don’t feel pleasant to exist without trying to force change.
Paper Expression #2
If you are trying to gauge where you are in relation to a goal, a bridge drawing may be a good one to try.
Draw a picture of a bridge going from some place to some place.
Indicate with an arrow or arrows the direction of travel.
Place a dot or draw a person to indicate where you are in the picture.
Observe your drawing, does it have any resemblance of where you are in relation to your goal? Are you moving in the direction you want to be moving? What is the construction of the bridge, is it safe or does it need some reinforcement? What might that look like in your life? What is the bridge crossing over? Is it scary or not scary? What do you need to get to where you are wanting to go?
Paper Expression #3
Needing a little comfort? Make a comfort paper quilt. Take the largest piece of paper you have, and make lines to create squares on the paper. Fill each square with something that is comforting to you. Maybe in one square you write a lyric that gives you ease, in another you draw a symbol for being loved and cared for, and in other you add a photograph of your favorite vacation spot. Even as simple as coloring a square with a color that you enjoy looking at, or cutting out a picture from a magazine that gives you a sense of peace. Filling up this paper quilt to help you connect with the things that soothe you visually. Placing this expression wherever you need that reminder and connection.
I hope these paper expressions showcase that art making is not about talent, or about pleasing others. It’s about you and you matter.
Click here to learn more about creative expression.