Drawing to See
Funny story. For about 20 years, I had a photo of my in-laws’ house in Maine hanging on the refrigerator. It hung on every fridge I’ve ever had-Cambridge, Berlin, and now in Ipswich. I love that photograph. And I loved that house, a funky, kinda primitive A-frame home, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean. Recently, I noticed a darkening in the golden window that I had never seen before. I leaned in and realized the darkening was my mother-in-law standing naked in the window! What?!? How did I miss that for all those years?!? Am I not really paying attention to life? Do I move too fast in the world? Am I blinded by stress?
The notion of not paying attention (hello!? naked mother-in-law on the fridge) was bugging me and is not how I want to be. I want to see, notice, and feel awe! My answer to seeing more is to draw more. There is something about drawing that centers me. I’m not a trained artist, but drawing leaves me feeling similar to how I feel after I meditate- observant. But is this how it really works? Can drawing actually create this zen-like impact?
Turns out, there is science out there about the benefits of making art. Girija Kaimal, a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy, shared her findings in an article, “Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain”
1.) It activates the reward center of our brain: More blood flows to your reward center when you make art…no matter the quality...move over ego!
2.) It lowers stress: A trained artist or not, it’s the making of art that lowers cortisol levels in the brain. Again, move over ego...
3.) It helps you imagine a more hopeful future: "This act of imagination is actually an act of survival," she says. "It is preparing us to imagine possibilities and hopefully survive those possibilities."
4.) It lets you focus deeply: You hit the much sought-after “flow” state where you are lost in what you are doing and this state is good for brain chemistry.
5.) Process your emotions: Sometimes words aren’t enough and art can help process emotions in a way words can not.
Hopefulness can be generated from making art-how great is that? And remember “making art” is not an overhaul of how you spend your days. Nor is signing up for a class or a trip to the art supply store necessary. Keep it simple! Between Zooms, grab a sheet of paper out of the recycling bin- sketch, doodle, or do a blind contour of an object sitting in front of you. Perhaps after doing a few of these, you might see something (maybe even a naked person?) hanging out on your refrigerator that you have missed all these years!