Unleash your creativity and think your way out of
boxThe brain is a strange organ. It works in ways we don’t yet understand and manages to create everything we see. Working at odds with rest of body it performs best when we’re not consciously trying and it is exactly this right-hemisphere activity that contributes to some of our most creative moments.
Creativity is lifeblood of every facet of life. From arts to business, without it, things would become stale very quickly. Yet, as society is becoming more complex and process-driven struggle for educational institutions is just how to stimulate creativity.
One easy answer is watercolour painting. The gentle movements of a brush have a relaxing, de-stressing effect which has also been noted in activities such as calligraphy, whilst mix of colours and their application energise parts of brain which would normally get scant stimulation. Couple this to mix of a visual/tactile experience as your painting emerges and presto! Right-side thinking is order of day and you haven’t even thought about it!
British Management Institute research figures show that whilst engaged in right-side thinking activities stressed-out business executives exhibit same degree of relaxation and satisfaction that’s normally reserved for when they’re on holiday.
A study conducted in mixed-occupation classes showed that out of 85 people who took part 90% reported feeling calmer about life, perceiving world in a more positive way and feeling better about themselves after they took part in a three-hour long watercolour workshop.
Hugh Templeton, an artist of 25 years’ experience, who specialises in running such workshops thinks he knows why his classes have that effect: “Painting a watercolour is a life-affirming thing. You have an image of world in your head. You start getting it down on your art paper and before you know it you have captured a piece of world around you and it’s been through your own efforts. What could be more satisfying that that?”
