Community Chat

[GingerPeach]

A study of 1300 primary care patients in the UK's health system (the NHS) shows that even one art class per week for an eight week time span can improve a patient's mood and/or well-being.

From the European Journal of Public Health

There's a link to the EJPH in the second article.

I think I've found my new hobby.  

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/wellbeing/art-class-nhs-patient-care-treatment-wellbeing/

http://www.psypost.org/2018/03/new-study-provides-evidence-art-courses-can-improve-mental-wellbeing-...

[lovescats]

I could never draw anything but it does sound like a good hobby.

[Yardlie]

Always wished I had artistic talent. I am very analytical. When I was in fifth grade, my teacher told my mother that I was a natural at art (just because I liked to draw). She recommended that I take a fun art class during  the summer. That's when I discovered that compared to the other kids in the class, I didn't have an artistic bone in my body. That being said, creativity can be demonstrated in other ways. I do play flute and have had a few pieces of creative writing published, but drawing.....I can only wish! Still, if you like doing something and it makes you feel good, why not go for it?

[GingerPeach]

Hi @lovescats and @Yardlie

I don't think the folks taking the art classes were in them to be "good" but more to spend time with others, and be, in a way, productive, while having fun.

I'm a big proponent of being productive, whether it means just for yourself at one end of the spectrum, or becoming a huge commercial success at the other end.

The one thing I'd watch for is someone who tells you "you can't."  One of the art teachers at my DD's elementary school (many, many years ago) told one of her friends to "stay inside the lines."  Does that even sound like an art teacher?  I would think an art teacher would be all about freedom of expression.

[Yardlie]

@GingerPeach ... It sounds more like that art teacher was trying to teach manual dexterity than art. It's amazing what you can learn from taking an art class even if you are not artistic.