The world has changed before our very eyes. Daily routines have been turned upside down, the known has become unknown, the comfortable uncomfortable, all in the space of a heartbeat. Such a dramatic shift in our lives has had a huge impact on the mental health of so many… but there are a few truths I continue to observe, experience and foster through it all..
Art heals. Art calms. Art helps you express what words can not. Art has no expectations, no judgements, nothing to live up to or “get right”.
Art heals. Art calms. Art helps you express what words can not. Art has no expectations, no judgements, nothing to live up to or “get right”.
As well as running Amy Gibbs Therapies, I also run Inspiring Amy, a business dedicated to all things arty.
I believe therapeutic art would be highly beneficial to many of my clients within this community and so have merged certain aspects of my art services so that you can access the benefits of art for yourself.
I believe therapeutic art would be highly beneficial to many of my clients within this community and so have merged certain aspects of my art services so that you can access the benefits of art for yourself.
The Benefits of Art
Art stimulates the imagination, by opening the heart and mind to possibilities.
Through creating art, you are able to imagine possibilities and see a future beyond the present moment and this can give us hope, inspiration, motivation and a more positive outlook on life, especially at those times in which we feel things aren’t going to plan.
Through creating art, you are able to imagine possibilities and see a future beyond the present moment and this can give us hope, inspiration, motivation and a more positive outlook on life, especially at those times in which we feel things aren’t going to plan.
Art makes us more observant.
Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting embraces all the ten functions of the eye; that is to say, darkness, light, body and colour, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and rest.”
Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting embraces all the ten functions of the eye; that is to say, darkness, light, body and colour, shape and location, distance and closeness, motion and rest.”
Art enhances problem-solving skills.
When working on an art or craft project, we are constantly having to answer questions, make decisions and solve problems.
What medium should I use?
What colours would work best?
What colours do I mix to create the colour/shade I want?
How can I add texture/depth/tone/dimension?
What font should I use for the text?
How do I remove that bit I don’t like?
How can I cover that up?
How can I incorporate that?
How can I make these images flow more seamlessly into one another?
Where is the light coming from?
Where are the shadows being cast?
How many layers of paper mache is this going to need?
What’s the right product to use to fix/weatherproof this piece?
What size of brush should I use?
Every single time you create a piece of art, your brain has to problem solve and the more you do it, the better you get at it!
When working on an art or craft project, we are constantly having to answer questions, make decisions and solve problems.
What medium should I use?
What colours would work best?
What colours do I mix to create the colour/shade I want?
How can I add texture/depth/tone/dimension?
What font should I use for the text?
How do I remove that bit I don’t like?
How can I cover that up?
How can I incorporate that?
How can I make these images flow more seamlessly into one another?
Where is the light coming from?
Where are the shadows being cast?
How many layers of paper mache is this going to need?
What’s the right product to use to fix/weatherproof this piece?
What size of brush should I use?
Every single time you create a piece of art, your brain has to problem solve and the more you do it, the better you get at it!
Art boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment.
When we engage in a daily art practice and try new things, we learn what works, what we like and what we can do well.
As we learn these new skills and get better at them, we experience a real sense of achievement when we create a piece that we are really pleased with, especially if it was something that we didn't think we were able to do, then we can give ourselves credit and reflect on the progress we are making.
In doing so, we gain confidence, our self-esteem is boosted and we really do feel like we have accomplished something. The important thing is to not give up at the first hurdle. Keep practicing.
It's about the journey and the creative process, not just the finished piece of art.
When we engage in a daily art practice and try new things, we learn what works, what we like and what we can do well.
As we learn these new skills and get better at them, we experience a real sense of achievement when we create a piece that we are really pleased with, especially if it was something that we didn't think we were able to do, then we can give ourselves credit and reflect on the progress we are making.
In doing so, we gain confidence, our self-esteem is boosted and we really do feel like we have accomplished something. The important thing is to not give up at the first hurdle. Keep practicing.
It's about the journey and the creative process, not just the finished piece of art.
Art reduces stress and lifts mood.
Whether it is painting a full blown art piece of canvas or simply colouring a mandala, it has been shown time and time again by many scientists and researchers, that the act of creating art, provides a form of catharsis and does indeed reduce stress levels.
I have business entrepreneurs who buy my colouring books for this very reason!
Life is stressful and they need something to focus on, other than all of the high stress stuff. They need a way to unwind after a hard day.
Art is also a good way to process what could be deemed as "negative" emotions, that are bringing you down or holding you back, allowing you to start moving on and healing from that negative or less than desirable moment in life, lifting your mood in the process.
Whether it is painting a full blown art piece of canvas or simply colouring a mandala, it has been shown time and time again by many scientists and researchers, that the act of creating art, provides a form of catharsis and does indeed reduce stress levels.
I have business entrepreneurs who buy my colouring books for this very reason!
Life is stressful and they need something to focus on, other than all of the high stress stuff. They need a way to unwind after a hard day.
Art is also a good way to process what could be deemed as "negative" emotions, that are bringing you down or holding you back, allowing you to start moving on and healing from that negative or less than desirable moment in life, lifting your mood in the process.
Art gives us the ability to express ourselves, by drawing on our emotions, thoughts and experiences .
Sometimes, as adults, big, strong, powerful or painful emotions and feelings are just too difficult to put into words. We can find ourselves struggling to explain how we are feeling or why we feel that way. Sometimes we don’t even know how we feel.
The same can be said for young children, who simply do not have the vocabulary to verbalise their thoughts and emotions. By creating art, we can express ourselves through our choice of colour, or the imagery we use, or the boldness of the lines we use, or the placement of different aspects of our work or the facial expressions on the faces in our pieces.
All of these things mean something, can convey something and none of them require a single word.
Sometimes, as adults, big, strong, powerful or painful emotions and feelings are just too difficult to put into words. We can find ourselves struggling to explain how we are feeling or why we feel that way. Sometimes we don’t even know how we feel.
The same can be said for young children, who simply do not have the vocabulary to verbalise their thoughts and emotions. By creating art, we can express ourselves through our choice of colour, or the imagery we use, or the boldness of the lines we use, or the placement of different aspects of our work or the facial expressions on the faces in our pieces.
All of these things mean something, can convey something and none of them require a single word.
