Blog Post #8
Art and Music
Have you ever wondered what your brain looks like when you look at or create art and/or listen to music?
Well, let’s take a deeper dive …
40,000 years ago humans created musical instruments and 2 & 3 dimensional images around the world.
Both music and art have come a LONG way since then but when I think about it, I wonder why music and art feel like they have and will forever go hand and hand.
I listen to music 9 times out of 10 while I’m painting or creating. Listening to music makes me able to easily get in my flow state of mind to paint longer and concentrate better. This also could be considered a state of meditation as we previously had discussed in my last blog post. (Check it out if you haven’t already: CLICK HERE> Blog Post #7)
You may ask, what is a “flow state of mind” but I’m sure you’ve felt it many times without even realizing it. Flow state is a mental state in which a person is completely focused on a single activity or task. This looks different for everyone, I get into my flow state mostly when I’m painting but some get in their flow state when they play a video game, read a book, or cook a dish.
You may also ask, “Well Ty how do I know if I’m in a flow state of mind?” I would answer this by saying, you know you’re in this state of mind because you're not thinking about thinking if that makes sense. Of course, thoughts come to mind but they aren’t hindering you, your focus is on something that is bringing a small amount of satisfaction. Something about completing a task gives our brains happy chemicals.
Now I would like to discuss how music and art correlate to each other.
Both music and art have a significant impact on the human brain.
Here is a list of 5 ways music and art relate to each other:
Emotional processing: studies have shown that both have activated the same brain regions involved in emotional processing such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.
Memory: Music has been shown to improve memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Similarly, viewing and creating art is linked to improving memory in healthy individuals.
Creativity: engaging with music and art can stimulate the brain’s creativity centers. This can lead to improved problem-solving skills.
Motor skills: Playing a musical instrument requires the use of our fine motor skills which can improve hand-eye coordination. Similarly, creating art can improve the coordination and control of the hands.
Communication: Music and art are forms of communication that transcend language barriers. Engaging with either or both activities can help individuals express themselves and connect with themselves and others on a deeper level.
With today’s topic being music and art and how they relate to each other, it brings us to today’s art therapy exercise!
#TyistightArtTherapyThursdays
ACTIVITY
In today's exercise, we will be drawing/painting our favorite song!
MATERIALS NEEDED
Any colorful mark-making utensils you have available (colored pencils, crayons, markers, paint, pastels, etc)
Any paper-like material you can mark on (Scrap paper, construction paper, cardboard, etc)
A device you can play music on or from! (Phone, mp3 player, CD player, record player, whatever you have)
Keep in mind ***
Directions: turn on one of your favorite songs, and take a moment to examine how that song makes you feel. What does this look like? What colors do you feel? What patterns can you see? What images pop into your head? What’s your favorite lyric? What about this song speaks to you? Put all of these feelings into your art and make a visual representation of what that song looks like for you. As always, minimize judgment about the “aesthetic” of the art and just focus on your feelings and breathing while creating. After all, the concept here is to connect with yourself and have fun.
MY ARTWORK AND REFLECTION
I personally listened to “Valentine” by Hope Tala as my song and this is how my artwork came out!
TIME TO REFLECT
Once you have completed your artwork I challenge you to take a piece of paper, or maybe jot it down in the notes on your phone but take a moment to reflect on your art and ask yourself questions to gain a deeper understanding of your emotions and yourself.
Example reflection questions:
What parts of your artwork do you feel are most successful?
Did your artwork turn out how you intended? Or did it take a different direction?
What would you do differently if you were to create this artwork again?
What did you enjoy most about this process?
What did you learn from creating this artwork?
