3 ways ART makes you smARTer
Most parents won't encourage their children to go into the arts. It's quite an enigma to me, since art and music are some of the first disciplines that children are introduced to. Almost all kids enjoy art and music, and have ongoing success with them.
Instead, parents are always trying to figuring out what the future career trends are or where will all the jobs be in 5 years? Not considering nuturing the passions of their children.
Since I was 14, I knew I would always have a career in the visual arts. What I didn't know, was which one. What am I now?
I am a successful high school art educator, art business store owner, and take tremendous pride in promoting the arts in my community through various events and projects.
So how did art help me? Here's a few ways...
1. Art Teaches Problem Solving
You can give 10 students a simple (or hard) mathematical equation and 9 times out of 10 times, you will always have the same solution. Give the same students a variety of colors, materials and a single artistic prompt, and you will have 10 very different solutions. Art may seem black and white, but when you mix them together you will get many varieties of gray. Times this by just your primary and secondary colors and your solutions to your problems are infinite.
2. Art Awakens The Senses
Some of the best art lessons I teach are about process, not product. I love to experiment, take risks and get messy. Whether my students are fingerpainting with oil paint, bubble printing with soap or marbelizing with shaving cream, they are having an experience. Life is often about the journey, not always the destination. I'm always mixing it up, whether it's at the High School, (yes, I am also a full time high school) or at Earth Arts. One of my students recently asked my colleague about me,"Does she ever sleep?" My answer..."Yes and I dream in lots of vibrant colors, never black and white"
3. Art Improves Performance
Nobody gets up and just runs a marathon, except for Forrest Gump. Everything in life requires discipline, passion and hopefully if you are lucky enough, joy. Yes, I'm one of the lucky ones! In our children classes we do exercises, whether it's sketches or collaborations. I call them our artistic jumping jacks. They get our blood pumping, inspire us and become the building blocks for our larger projects. Art is known to expand your attention span, increases motivation and boosts your confidence with continual success. It encourages collaboration and team work. Artists, teachers and students share ideas, and new ideas are continually being rejuvenated from old ideas. I'm blessed, not only do I love my job, but I get to have brand new dialogues, brainstorming and inspiration, from new customers, my staff and students, ALL THE TIME! The more we create the better artists and well rounded people we become.
Visit our website at http://www.earthartslb.com for the latest sm-ARTistic adventures at Earth Arts this summer.
Join us for one of our fun and easy upcoming Children's and Adult Summer Workshops: https://www.earthartslb.com/shop
...and our fall children art series is now open for registration, they fill fast!
