30 Days of Peace-Day 4

Art. Create something beautiful. Create something messy. Create just for the sheer act of creation. Art is a big part of our family. My daughter is a gifted artist and will be using her gifts professionally after college in the advertising field. All of our children have artistic skill and talents. We have a messy, creative home.

My challenge to you- whether you are a teenager, middle-aged, or in your golden years- try something artistic. It doesn’t have to be worthy of a museum, we are talking about an outlet. Have you painted on canvas before? There are many online classes now. Canvas and supplies can be picked up for $20 or $30. How about rocks? Ever painted rocks? This is way more fun than you might think and a little addictive. Not ready for paint? How about coloring? I highly recommend adult coloring books. I know the small details might be overwhelming but those with mandalas are a little more “doable” for new artists and I personally recommended Crayola twistable crayons. They stay “sharp” and are very easy to use and will not require as much hand dexterity as regular crayons- they are worth the extra money. When they break, you simply “twist up” and the crayon remains sharp. Colored pencils are nice but they get dull very quickly. As far as mandalas, they have been shown to be very soothing and aid in stress reduction. Circular patterns as a whole help with meditation and mindfulness both which are key in stress management.

I am sharing with you today a painting my daughter did last night. Feel free to share your artistic endeavors here- the messier and “less perfect” the better. Have a beautiful, peaceful day, dear ones.