Art Influences Teens

Art+by+Halie+Nicholson

Art by Halie Nicholson

Art. The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.   – Oxford Languages

 

Many people, including kids, teens, and adults, constantly search for a way to relieve stress, express themselves, be more creative, and better master emotions. A popular way to achieve these things is through art. But, not just drawing and coloring pictures. 

Art includes mediums of all types- oil paints, watercolors, acrylic paints, charcoal and graphite pencils, pastels, and even clay. Regardless of the medium, there is no doubt that nearly everyone could find some sense of calmness and creativity in the arts.

 

Creativity. The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.   – Oxford Languages

The word “art” is simply in the definition of creativity. But, the definition differs for everyone because no two people have the same interests, which is what makes art so special and important in life. It allows room for mistakes, which many despise, and therefore may be why so many people find enjoyment in creating. 

 

Halie Nicholson, os a junior at Greater Latrobe who finds joy in creating art, mostly by using acrylic paints and drawing by hand. More recently though, she has been experimenting with oil pastels, which she explains is something interesting and new.

She explains how her pieces represent her personal experiences and how she is feeling at the moment.
“I try to make it so that other people can relate it to themselves, but that I can also connect to my life. Also, sometimes it’s nice to just do whatever my mind wants to do, even if it’s random,” tells Haile.

While speaking about the mind following what it feels, a growing discipline called “art therapy” encourages the utilization of the mind to self-explore and gain personal insight on events in life, which may include stresses, joys, and more. This therapy has become much more popular since the late 1990’s, as it was at this time when it started to be considered a professional discipline. 

Many artists- or those who just purely enjoy creating- often begin this therapy process by reflecting on the works of other artists.

Nicholson shares, “I usually get inspired by other artists, but if I come to a blank, I scroll through Pinterest, exploring the different techniques, mediums, colors, and just try to expand what I’ve already learned how to do.”

 

Problem solving. The act of finding ways of dealing with problems.   – Oxford Languages

“I have always been bad at learning in school because of my dyslexia and art has really been the one thing that I have been good at in life, so having something that I was good at gave me a structure to stand on to keep my confidence throughout the years, while also helping me seem to partially  solve my problems,” shares sophomore Bridget McHugh. 

Bridget has found a sense of relief in art since an early age and explains that her work is a reflection of herself. She gives an example, saying that if you look deep enough, in something such as a painting by Vincent van Gogh, you can see the person’s personality through the art. 

This idea, of personality reflecting through a piece of art, is another puzzle piece to the problem-solving process. Multiple sources elaborate on the common idea that one of the greatest rewards that a knowledge of one’s personality can give you is the ability to to understand how different people solve problems. And for many, this is through art, as it can show what many fail to deliver with words.

 

Balance. A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.   – Oxford Languages

Hailee Nicholson proceeds to tell, “I have always been making art, since I was little. It’s really something that I do to relieve stress”, while sophomore Bridget Mchugh shares some of the benefits that art had made on her goal of a sense of balance in her life.

“Knowing that I’m good at one thing, and not something else, makes me feel balanced. I might never be amazing at something such as math, but I know that art will always give me the balance and strength that I feel is necessary in life.”

 

Satisfaction. Fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations, or needs, or the pleasure derived from this.   – Oxford Languages

Satisfaction- the final step in creating art. The word that both McHugh and Nicholson both use to describe the feeling that rushes over them when a piece is complete. Whether this piece of art had plans at the start and then took a turn, or came out as a replication of the plan, they both say that there is no feeling quite as good as this such accomplishment.