7 Ways Art Improves Quality of Life

1. Admiring Great Artwork Feels Like Falling in Love

Science confirms what all art lovers already know in their hearts: Art appreciation promotes quality of life and makes you feel good.

According to Professor Semir Zeki, a neurobiologist at the University College of London, when you stare at great artworks, the part of your brain that is stimulated is the same as when you fall in love.

The feeling of desire and affection that we have when we fall romantically for someone is the result of our brain releasing dopamine, a feel-good chemical.

Our brain has the same kind of pleasurable feelings when we admire great artworks, such as The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, or other masterpieces by great artists like Monet, Turner and Constable.

Other research has shown that listening to a favorite musical piece stimulates dopamine production in the brain, also promoting positive emotions.

Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

2. Art Making as a Form of Healing and Therapy

Through the artistic and creative use of materials, we can discover and follow our true stream of imagery, we can come to know ourselves deeply.

Art making can be soothing and stress-reducing; it is also a source of relaxation, gratification, and self-expression. Ask any artist, they would tell you that while they are creating, they feel like they are in their own bubble, "in the zone", detached from anything going on around them, including the sense of time.

Visual expression has been used for healing throughout history, but only recently, starting in the 1970s, art therapy has emerged as a profession, becoming a recognized form of treatment in the fields of health and medicine.

In the last few decades, we have rediscovered the benefits of art making for personal growth, self-expression, transformation, and wellness. However, it’s correct to call it art therapy only when facilitated by a master-level clinician, the art therapist, trained to work with people who are challenged with medical and mental health problems, as well as individuals seeking emotional, creative, and spiritual growth.

Talent is not the key element in art therapy; actually, talent is not required at all.

We all have a gift of creativity, and unfolding that inner creativity will take us on a healing journey as unique as we are.

As the American Art Therapy Association states, art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.

3. Surrounding Yourself With Beauty Brings You Happiness

Joy is about surrounding ourselves with the things we love.

We grow in a house for which we haven’t chosen the décor, and we absorb from teachers and relatives concepts of what is beautiful and attractive without even realizing it. As adults, we think we know what is desirable and what we love, but do we really know what shapes and forms make us happy?

How much of our choices in home furnishing are coming truly from within, and what part is deeply affected by what we have learned to be good taste, either from parents or decorators?

Much pleasure can be found in color, shape, form, and image. So it is very important to ask ourselves: What do I like? What gives me pleasure?

Scroll to Continue

Four Reasons Why I Think 2025 Is the Year of the Rapture

Confessions of a Former Love Addict: Gaga For Guys; Sorry, Not Sorry

100 Best Songs About Starting

4. Learn What Pleases You Most and Be Happier

Looking at art helps you understand what is beautiful and attractive for you and form your own personal esthetics.

Notice What Pleases You

Once you know what kind of images bring you joy, make sure you surround yourself with things that make you smile and feel good. Having sources of inspiration and pleasure in your own house or workplace will make your life more pleasurable.

Try these simple ways to learn what kind of art makes you happier.

• Collect images that interest you. Collect appealing magazine clippings and photos, either made of paper or digital images. It might help if you organize them in folders by category, like furnishing ideas, artistic, crafts, etc. Pinterest provides a wonderful tool to do this digitally.
• Collect small objects the same way. You can fill a box with small things like buttons, cute sticks, stones, or anything that is interesting because of color, shape or texture. Going through the box every once in a while will be a nice sensory experience.
• Find commonalities. You will end up with a collection of things that touch you at some level, and looking at the collection, ask yourself: What do they have in common? It could be color, style, texture, or design. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it speaks to you. Look at your favorites especially. Why do you like them so much?

The answers to those questions will help you to get to know your own personal esthetic.

Let me arise and open the gate,

to breathe the wild warm air of the heath...

— Violet Fane

5. Art Has a Feel-Good Power on the Brain

More scientific results suggest that the dopaminergic effect of art on the brain has a powerful effect on quality of life. In fact, it has been shown, by Ercole Vellone and al., that among stroke survivors, those with interest in the arts enjoyed better general health, found it easier to walk, had more energy, and tend to be happier. They were also less likely to be depressed or anxious.

The results suggest that art may make long-term changes to the brain that help the person to recover when things go wrong.

6. Our Sensitivity to the Fine Arts Evolves Throughout Our Life

In the 1940s, Abraham Maslow, an American professor of psychology, developed a Hierarchy of Needs. According to Maslow, a person will develop from basic needs to self-actualization in steps.

His theory can be visualized as a pyramid. At the bottom of the pyramid are the primary needs of every human being, and going up we find the more refined and sophisticated needs. A person will not care about the upper level until the bottom needs are fulfilled, said Maslow.

Art is at the top of this pyramid. In fact, it belongs to the self-actualization step. This may explain why some people do not appreciate arts as much as others and why our sensitivity to the fine arts changes with time throughout our life.

Many revised versions of this pyramid have been developed, sometimes adding new categories of needs, but the top ones are always related to feelings and gratification, and that’s where artistic experience belongs.

7. Art Is a Deep and Very Personal Experience

The language of art, expressed through sounds, colors, shapes, lines, and images, speaks in ways that words cannot.

Whether you experience the arts as a creator or as an art lover, you can gain great pleasure and enjoyment from all kinds of arts: music, poetry, visual art, sculpture, theatrical performances, or dance.

Art has a way of reaching deep inside our souls and connecting what is inside us, our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, with outer realities and with our own experiences.

Being such a deep experience on a personal level, art can help you understand who you are and enhance life through self-expression.

Painting on location brings me joy.

1 / 2

My Personal Experience With Feeling Good Thanks to Art

Art has taught me to do what I love—and love what I do.

Enjoying art can have some wonderful effects on our life.

When I go to a museum, I can spend hours looking at the artwork and admiring technique, concept, and design.

Music is a constant background in my life; it can affect my mood, setting the stage for me to be cheerful and energetic or romantic. The cool thing about music is that you can choose it in relation to how you want to feel, and it does the magic for you.

Of course, art is not the only source of good feelings. The same results can be attained by admiring a beautiful sunset, taking care of loving pets, or any pleasant activity that you can think of.

When I paint, I feel like I’m temporarily in a different dimension, my connections to reality are very thin, and the sense of time is annihilated. I have to set the timer to make sure I don’t miss important responsibilities, like picking up the children from school or meeting a friend.

I’ve been an art lover all my life, but art making has brought a new balance and a new joy into my life. I thought I would be sad when we moved to a new state and I had to leave my beloved full-time job, but surprisingly, I feel thankful every day because now I have the time to enjoy art and my life is much more fulfilling.

I experienced first-hand the old advice to take the time to enjoy life, stop and smell the roses. If you have to take away something from reading this article, may it be this: "Live in the moment, spend time appreciating beauty, and do all the things you love."

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Robie Benve

Comments

Muhammad Bin Naeem from Lahore, Pakistan on April 11, 2019:

It feels like the article was more about art and less about how to improve the quality of life.

Maumba Simeon on August 03, 2018:

Thanks madam Robie I totally agree with you that the feeling that one gets when viewing an artwork is exactly the same feeling that one gets when he/she falls in love. However, Kenyan leaders don't have this facts. They have made creative arts meaningless in schools by making it non examinable subject. Museums and art galleries are inadequate. Advice how one can start one in the country side.

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on August 28, 2017:

Art, romance, and chocolate sounds like a winning date plan to me! Thanks for you delightful comment Besarien. :)

Besarien from South Florida on August 23, 2017:

The trees, the fall colored leaves, the puddles of sunlight, all of it is transporting me into the woods. I can smell the loam and feel the breeze rustling in the branches. I enjoyed your hub too. I had no idea that looking at art triggered the same part of the brain as falling in love, but next time I go to the museum I'm taking my husband and some good chocolate!

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on January 27, 2013:

Thanks a lot for your comment SonQuioey10. :)

SonQuioey10 on January 22, 2013:

Great hub. I like the therapeutic importance of art. I get that a lot in pastels and music.

ravindranath on September 26, 2012:

your article is really edifying and impressive and reveals nuances in the appreciation of art.

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 27, 2012:

@ barryrutherford, there is something about looking at the same pictures in different occasions that brings good feelings and touches us deeper, at different levels, every time. It can truly be a spiritual experience, I'm happy to hear you reached that level. :) Thanks for sharing.

Barry Rutherford from Queensland Australia on May 26, 2012:

I agree every time I go to the public Art Gallery QAG (here in Queensland)and see the pictures I've already seen before maybe 100 plus times I feel good, I feel better, I feel rejuvinated. You name it it's a spiritual experience too!

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 19, 2012:

Thanks habee, I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

Holle Abee from Georgia on May 18, 2012:

Oh, I so agree. I love art - creating it and viewing it. Voted up!

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 17, 2012:

Oh yes, the bubbly self-esteem problem. Unfortunately it's like a virus, you find it in every discipline and profession. I usually just walk around the bubble and avoid confrontation. It'll burst someday anyway. And if it doesn't, I let them be convinced, I bet that's great for their quality of life. :)

reagu from Los Angeles on May 17, 2012:

Sadly though, sometimes the SELF-ESTEEM portion bloats up and create art snobs. I met too many in my lifetime.

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 17, 2012:

@ alliemacb, I always say we are the best doctors for ourselves, meaning that our instinct usually tells us if something is wrong, and what could make it better. Heading to the art department is a wonderful way to relax and get inspired, good for you that you have that outlet at work. :)

@ Melovy, writing on hubpages has been a very creative experience for me too. In the process of writing an article, my favorite part is probably editing the text, rewording, and trying to make it flow for the reader. I find that very artsy. :)

Thanks both for your comments.

Yvonne Spence from UK on May 17, 2012:

I am an art school graduate, so of course I agree with everything you’ve written here. When I was a kid I used to feel as if my hands itched if I had drawn pictures for a while. I still do some drawing and painting although nowadays my creativity is more often channelled into writing. HubPages is actually a great place for me because I get to write and to spend hours fiddling about with the design of the page: rearranging photos, going off to take more photos, rearranging again…

Thanks for a great hub! Voted up and shared.

alliemacb from Scotland on May 17, 2012:

Many years ago I worked at a mental health facility and art therapy was used. It can work wonders for people with depression and other mental health issues. Now I teach in a university and if I'm feeling a bit stressed, I wander down to the art department and see what the students there are up to. Art absolutely improves quality of life. Brilliant hub

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 16, 2012:

Ciao Anna, hai proprio ragione la mancanza di sonno mina la stabilita' di tutta la piramide! E per me la fame fa lo stesso, ma per fortuna quella e' facilmente risolvibile.

Che piacere un tuo commento!

Hi Anna, I totally agree, the lack of sleep can mine the stability of the whole pyramid! And for me it's hunger too, but luckily that's easily fixable. What a pleasure, a comment from you! :))

Anna Canitano on May 16, 2012:

Hi, Robie, per quanto sia molto fiera di aver letto e compreso il tuo interessantissimo articolo, non ho la capacita' di commentarlo in inglese. Complimenti a parte.....e' la piramide che ci frega! A volte manca la base (sonno), altre il centro....a volte sono alibi per non staccare la spina. In ogni caso, complimenti. Sarebbe bello avervi vicino e parlarne di persona! Un abbraccio.

Anna

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 16, 2012:

Summerberrie, I agree it is wonderful to be from Venice, Italy... despite the days when I get home sick. ;) Thank you for stopping by and commenting.

summerberrie on May 16, 2012:

Robie Benve, I enjoyed reading your article about how art enhances the quality of life. You are so very lucky to be from Venice, Italy!

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 15, 2012:

Hi Louisquezada, art is a pretty powerful thing, and I am very happy that science is confirming it. Hopefully that will influence decisions of funding the arts all over the world. :)

louisquezada on May 15, 2012:

Wow, I never knew the power of Art. Great article!

Robie Benve (author) from Ohio on May 15, 2012:

Hi ElizaDoole, I'm glad you liked the hub. Thanks a lot for taking the time to read and comment. :)

Lisa McKnight from London on May 15, 2012:

Fantastic exploration of the importance of art. I love Maslow's theory and the connections with art you have made.