Being an Artist Brings Many Benefits
March 3, 2022
Art can be a wonderful thing to use to express oneself or to relieve some stress. It can even help build confidence in a person. Although some problems come with art, like an artist’s block, that doesn’t stop overshadow the benefits that come from making art.
Stephen Lanham is the art teacher at GCHS, and he understands the need for art and time to be creative. “90% of the younger generation is constantly on their cell phones, so when they actually are making art whether that be poetry, drawing, sculpting, etc, it’s getting their hands moving and their minds working.”
Lanham explains how he benefits from art. “One it’s how I make a living, and two it gives me a sense of purpose. It also makes me look forward to the day or whatever time.” Art helps me when I’m very emotionally exhausted from school, or when I’m having a bad day. I like to draw animals and just make my characters. I am relieved like the stress just left my body. — Kaley Banta, senior
Art can even be a big stress reliever to some students with anxiety or when they get stressed about assignments/projects. Senior Kaley Banta explained how art helps her during these times. “Art helps me when I’m very emotionally exhausted from school, or when I’m having a bad day. I like to draw animals and just make my characters. I am relieved like the stress just left my body.”
A boost of confidence in the creations one makes is another benefit. Emily Parker, senior, experienced this. “When I started art, I wasn’t really good at it. I had to trace and look at these anime in a how to draw books and even had one of those wooden figures you can pose and I tried to imitate it.” Parker felt like she needed to look at the work of others to try to recreate it.
Eventually, though, Parker found confidence to try her own original ideas. “But later on in my life I realized that I didn’t need those things and I was just creating things on my own.”
While art is somewhat beneficial and enjoyable sometimes problems arise. One of the most common is called art block. Banta explained, “Art block is when you can’t draw. Like the image is there, but it’s not you know? When you have an art block you look at something that you create and you wish you didn’t create it, because it looks horrible. Even when in the process of making a line your brain even says the line looks horrible.”
While no hobby or interest is going to be perfect all the time, the enjoyment and benefits from art far outweigh the frustrations. Banta offered this advice to those artists that may have met a roadblock. “You have to keep on going. You can let one obstacle stop you from doing what you love.”
