| Hi John, I've always believed looking at art changes us for the better, and now there's proof. A recent study by a team from Trinity College Dublin, University of Vienna, and Humboldt University of Berlin found that viewing art can improve our eudemonic wellbeing. Eudemonic means that something is conducive to happiness, derived from the Greek roots of "eu," meaning "good" and "daimon" meaning "spirit." In short, looking at art can help us flourish and build fulfilling lives. The lead author, MacKenzie Trupp, writes: People often think of art as a luxury, but our research suggests that viewing art -- whether as a hobby or as a targeted health intervention -- can meaningfully support wellbeing. I've believed this for years, and seeing the research to prove it is like cherries on a Wayne Thiebaud cake! | Boston Creams, 1962, oil on canvas, Wayne Thiebaud, Crocker Museum |
This research validates what I've seen firsthand. As a former museum educator, I watched students and adults in museum galleries experience a sense of joy, possibility, discovery, and awareness during art conversations. While looking at and discussing art, observations were made, ideas built upon by others in the group, the development of possible narratives emerged, and an attention to materials and process was unearthed. The researchers share that, "Art can satisfy people's need to search for meaning in life, build self-esteem, and develop positive identities, which are important factors for coping with the chaos of life." If you'd like to put this into practice, here are a few ways to start. Spend 5 minutes looking at art. Ask yourself these questions: What do I see? Where does my eye go first? What feeling does this artwork evoke? What colors/shapes/patterns do I notice? How might the artist have created this? What questions do I have about the artist's process? (Try this with the Thiebaud painting above) Put an art book on your coffee table Hang art in your home Visit art galleries Go to open studios to see art in person Keep looking, Rachelle p.s. Support local bookshops. Find my books and some of my favorite reads in my Bookshop.org shop. And fill long summer days with open-ended art prompts from The Kids Art Studio |
