The Benefits of Creating Artwork

"Andes Mountains", Peru S.A.

Artist: Andrew Troyer. Graphite on 9"x12" paper. Source photo by Buddy Vest (used with permission)

Many children and adults love art. There are numerous benefits to engaging in art, whether it's part of your therapy session, or doing it as a hobby. Four months ago, I began exploring art with pencil drawings and oil paintings. In this post I will discuss the benefits of doing art.

What is Art:

Art is a non verbal form of expressing one’s self, capturing what you see, hear, or remember and conveying that to the medium you are using to express it. It may be as simple as using a crayon to make a smiley face, or as elaborate as creating a masterpiece oil painting, taking a picture, or writing a blog or poem.. One of reasons I started this blog was to capture my thoughts and ideas and convey them in written form.

What are the benefits of doing art ?

Doing Art Helps Express Emotions

There are many forms of art. Drawing, painting and clay ceramics just to name a few. In my professional career in counseling and working with children, I used the “House, Tree ,Person” drawing. It is a subjective form of art for children. He/she is given a blank piece of paper for each of the three drawings. They are instructed, for example, to draw a house on one sheet of paper, without giving any further instructions. The drawing will often show where the child is emotionally, his/her sense of belonging, or what level of self esteem they are experiencing. I have personally witnessed children express their emotions, both positive and negative when they participated in a form or art. For further interpretations you can find numerous resources on the net for interpreting the “House Tree Person'' drawings.

Since my retirement last year from my career as a counselor, I have been exploring the world of art. Drawing and painting has been very rewarding for me, as it has helped with relaxation and reduced anxiety. When drawing or painting, I often find myself lost in time and one or two hours can pass quickly.

Doing Art Helps Visualize the Invisible.

There is just something satisfying about stepping back and seeing a finished piece of work. Satisfaction comes when you finally see the completed piece of art. Another form of art I used when working with children in therapy was “sand tray play” This too is a non verbal way of expressing self and telling one’s story. The child’s story was told in the sand using figures of houses and people and when it was finished a message about their world was communicated. I remember playing in the sand as a child, as many of you no doubt have also. Little did I know at the time, how therapeutic it was.

If you are a parent, I would suggest investing in some play sand and toys for your child. There are many kinds of sand. The most familiar type of play sand is cheap and available at any local hardware store. However, it can get messy and may be a bit dirty. You may want to check sensory toys websites for different kinds of sand that may be better suited for children to play with.

Doing Art Can Be a Hobby with Potential Profits

A third form of art that most of us probably have used sometime in our life, either as a child or an adult is that of painting and drawing. Most children use crayons and pencils and find joy in drawing pictures of different things and loved ones in their lives. Since I began exploring art by drawing and painting, I have found it to be a very enjoyable activity. Earlier this year I took a 6 week “observational drawing class” learning the basics and fundamentals of pencil drawings. Most recently I started with oils, and am enjoying the challenges it brings. I still consider myself a novice , but am really enjoying the challenges and benefits it provides.

In addition to the cover drawing on this post, here are two more I recently completed. See Gallery for other drawings and paintings

Artist: Andrew Troyer

"Farm Meadow" Christiana, PA

Oil on 4'x6" canvas board

Source photo by Andrew Troyer

Artist: Andrew Troyer

"La Venta" Tapasle Nicaraqua

Graphite on 7.5"x11" paper

Source photo by Andrew Troyer

I hope this may have sparked an interest in you to pursue some kind of art as a hobby. Try some things out and reap the benefits of making visible the invisible. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Be well and stay healthy.