With spring creeping by, artists are taking inspiration from the changing season. Art has helped people calm down or let out their emotions in a positive way for centuries. Let’s talk about how art has affected our community with teachers in Saegertown Jr. Sr High School and local art business. There is alo a couple of websites that provide their insight on how art can have a powerful impact on us.
Ms. Lyons, the music teacher for Jr. Sr. High School insight proved art can have a powerful impact in someone’s life.
“I had a teacher in high school who was basically the one person who provided a positive outlet and they were able to help me with a bunch of stuff. From applying to college to learning how to tune an instrument to learning how to be a good person,” Ms. Lyons Said. “They were actually the reason I went to music education since they were a wonderful music teacher. They basically took on the responsibility of kinda being a second parent to me whenever I needed it most. That is why I wanted to be a music teacher, because I wanted to make a difference for my students”.
Music has a wonderful impact on young teens and children’s brains. The Scholar Blog explains it more, “music can have a significant effect on concentration. A lot of research has gone into its ability to help people hone their concentration, and theories such as the Mozart effect suggest that this effect extends to even spatial awareness. It was found that dopamine production was very high while participants were listening to music, and this could suggest why music has been such a large part of cultures across the ages”.
Ms. Lyons also proved that music impacts her students in a positive way. “I feel that the students have been a lot more open to being friendly and positive with one another. I have seen a lot of changes like how they are with their emotions and how they are able to communicate what they need more. I feel like a lot of people have now found a common place where they can finally meet new people and become more familiar with some things they might not have been able to push themselves outside before. I have seen a lot of growth as far as creative thinking and thinking outside of the box more specifically. And they have grown a lot since the beginning of the year”.
Another form of art is visual art. Mrs. Granat, the art teacher for Jr. Sr. High School provided some insight on how the visual aspect of art affects her students.
“I think that it affected them in a positive way because they are able to problem solve with art and doing art is very good for their mental health too,” Mrs. Granat said.
Rainbow Kiddies wrote a brief article about how art affects young children’s minds, “the impact of art on child development is big, yes, really very big. It does not just aid in physical and mental development, but also aids in proper expression of feelings, thoughts, opinions, etc. Art helps children engage in exploration and experimentation. They are not just fun, they help the child develop physically and mentally, and also help them learn”.
The Scholar Blog also provides their insight on how visual art affects our brains. “Visual art can produce feelings of happiness and calmness that can be found and utilized via art therapy. Many people use these benefits of art to quell distress and solve problems in their own lives, and part of this effect is suggested to be caused by being involved in something tangible (Malchiodi, 2012). Tangibility is something that isn’t often seen when dealing with mental issues. Most all of our mental issues stem from the chemicals within us that dictate how we view situations and the reactions we have in regards to them, and while it may be possible to visualize how these chemicals work, you cannot mold your reactions and chemical outputs like you can mold a block of clay or paint a piece of canvas. Control is something that many who are struggling with internal battles such as mental illness or grief are desiring to achieve, and art therapy and other physical-emotional therapies can help achieve a more tangible version of this”.
The Chalk Shop is a store in Meadville where you can make decor for your home by painting, stain, and more. Georgette Bennett explains why she decided to create her business,
“I decided to open my store for a few reasons. I love art and I love to make people feel empowered,” Bennett said. “ I open my shop as a way for the community to have a space where they can create beautiful home decor”.
She has seen how art has affected the community through her business. “I believe that art is therapeutic to most. I say most, because perfectionists do not thrive in this type of industry. But for most, art can be therapeutic, and can turn a bad day into a good one. It can help kids explore their creative brains, it can soothe a stressed brain, it can fill the void that some might use for not so ideal things, it can bring people together, and it can add an uplifting spirit for those who need it.”
Bennett also explained how art impacts our mind, “When we get upset, or stressed, our emotional brain goes into hard drive, and we need our logical brains to kick in, and art helps with that. Art can trigger both hemispheres of our brain Art also helps learn problem solving skills at a younger age, and fine tune motor functions. So as you can see, art helps with a lot more than people realize”.
She also explains that her art business has a wonderful impact on her life, “I know how art affects me when I see a smile on someone’s face and I get goosebumps. That’s how I know what I’m doing is the right thing. I think people tend to hate art ,or say they can’t do it, because they had a bad experience with it at a young age. It’s sad that that has happened to people, similar to hating math. So my job is to remind students, of all ages, that you can do art, it’s just how you interpret it,” Bennett said. “ Not all art is drawing. Not all art is painting. Art can be sewing, or candle making, or sculptures, or making 8’ tall skeletons at Halloween time! Maybe you’re not good with sketching, but have you tried sculpting? Maybe you just don’t like the mess of painting. Have you tried crocheting? It’s all in perspective.”