Today I had a lightbulb moment in therapy. (Not the first, not the last) my doctor told me that I don’t always have to do high-stakes finished pieces in art. He said in psychotherapy it is a thing to analyze how you feel and act accordingly. For example: if Im stressed out I can scribble with crayons and enjoy the zen of it or if Im depressed i can make a Picasso-blue-period piece.
We talked about how artists have been studied and their works show how they were at that current time (in some cases). Like not just Picasso’s blue period, which he claimed he just had a lot of blue paint even though his best friend had just died. Scholars have also noticed a chaotic period of his art when he was living by a thread in Nazi occupied Paris.
Thankfully I’m not in that situation, though some people sadly are.
But my therapist said if I am depressed I can just draw a sad blue blob or something in markers or whatever; or if I’m anxious a red zig-zaggy shape and then rework it; the flow state will calm one down, not a magic symbolistic bandaid. Do what you do based on how you feel he said.
He said this can go for people who are not pursuing art or don’t feel they are creative. Instead of being regimented and always doing this or that; he said, if one is feeling lowsy they can go for a walk or have a cup of tea or sit in the garden(the list goes on!)~instead of pushing through one more Thing. He was saying one should sense how they feel act accordingly. Like if one is angry one could listen to metal music or happy listen to bubblegum pop. (Or maybe the other way around)
Though it sounds basic and like-duh to act accordingly to how you feel, it is very scientifically studied and accepted practice. For me it was an ah-ha moment that when Im stressed I should slow down. (Though I don’t go that fast) …but to have a positive habit to go to instead of probably skipping out, because I’m stressed, seems affirmative!
Anyway that is what I learned today and I didn’t have anything else to write about. I got a few more sketches done, some inspiration from the museum, and a few hours of painting done this week. Im glad I reworked the clouds! (as per last week i said they were looking …off) more clouds in the future!
Bye
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