Your Brain on Art summary

There’s a chance you might have a conflicted relationship with art. Maybe someone told you at a young age that you didn’t show a natural talent for art, and ever since then you simply believed that art was for other people.

If there’s only one thing you take away from this Blink, let it be the understanding that you don’t have to be an artistic genius to reap the rewards of art. Creating something with your hands, whether it’s a pencil-and-paper drawing or a small clay sculpture, is its own reward. A study at Drexel University found that people can lower their levels of the stress hormone cortisol by spending just 45 minutes making art. They also pointed out that it didn’t matter how artistically skilled or adept they were. Making art is calming at a physiological level.

We’ve already talked about some of the things that happen in your body during sensory experiences, but it’s important to recognize that this process isn’t just mental – it’s physical as well. The structure and functions of your cells are also changed – making your response to art both physiological and biological.

Take neuroplasticity, for instance. This is the ability your brain has to rewire neural networks and change the way it functions. This doesn’t happen overnight, of course, but it does happen when you change your environment or make new habits, like introducing a new art practice into your daily routine. This helps to explain why a growing number of people are receiving a prescription for art, as both a healing measure and as a preventative measure.

The writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr. once told a class of high school students the secret to a successful life. It didn’t have anything to do with ambition or determination. He told them to practice art, any kind of art. Poetry, music, painting, sculpting, it didn’t matter. It’s not about fame or money. It’s about creating something that’ll help you to understand yourself and “make your soul grow.”

Many of us were raised in an education system that prioritized memorization and standardized testing. But more and more, researchers are understanding that playful artistic experimentation can result in healthier, more flourishing minds.

By cultivating an aesthetic mindset you can reap the many benefits that art has to offer. An aesthetic mindset takes into account the fact that you’re constantly interacting with your environment and processing sensory experiences. Countless studies show that art – whether it’s sound, colors, drawing, painting, dancing, or sculpting – can reduce stress, anxiety, pain, and trauma, while also prolonging life and improving your general well-being. By creating a more aesthetic environment and building a more art-centric day-to-day life, you can live a healthier, more fulfilling life.