Friday, January 25, 2008

Art and stress

This sketch was done early this morning and sort of summed up both sides of my stress today, even at that early hour. An impending blizzard, a ton of work ahead, early morning calls to make to cancel appointments, all washed down with coffee to kick start the day.

Add a red stress ball in the shape of a heart and a bottle of Maalox and you've got my day in a nutshell.

However, the process of putting this little still life down on paper becomes stress relief in its own right. Studies have proven that drawing is therapeutic and a stress reliever. Sketching or drawing makes you concentrate on something else and you can become involved enough in it to reach 'the zone' or an almost meditative state. Just having art as an interest ensures that you spend time on it or thinking of it, letting your mind drift away from other problems.

So despite the blizzard making me shut down the office at lunchtime, I took work home and got a lot done, and now will start drawing....my relaxation therapy.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Lovely sketch! Gosh, more snow??
I had to smile at your photo of trees and blossoms. I'm sure you do long for warmer weather.

Jeanette Jobson said...

Thanks Cindy, yes the 3rd storm in a week! I needed a touch of summer, hence the image of my mock orange. Sigh..

Jo Castillo said...

Jeanette, Great stress relief! You have a great set up and nice hatching.

When I saw the cup, I got a warm feeling. We so enjoyed the coffee and blueberry danish in Canada, I think it was. Blueberry sweet roll of some sort. I can almost taste it.... sigh.

We didn't get to Newfoundland, just Nova Scotia. Maybe someday.

Jeanette Jobson said...

Thanks Jo. Tim Horton's is an institution in Canada. It seems there's a shop on every corner.

You'd enjoy Newfoundland I'm sure. Just bring your snow shovel about now...

Making A Mark said...

I absolutely agree - great stress relief.

We are apparently having the warmest January for some time....but I don't think you probably want to know that! ;)

Jeanette Jobson said...

Warmest January huh? Want a lodger for the rest of the winter?? :)