Art is something all around us but is often overlooked. Art is everywhere, stores, libraries, at home and school. It’s something so ubiquitous that we don’t always pay attention to it. Art at school is regarded the same way but has a much bigger impact than we realize. School is somewhere that we all have to be, whether we like it or not, for some people it is a place that they don’t like to be. This is why art is critical because it fosters good mental health within students. Do you notice the art that you see? Did you not even realize it’s there? Think about the art that you see at school or at home or in a store. Think about how it impacts your mood. Now imagine it’s not there. All there is are the bare gray and beige walls, void of vibrant color and creative expression. Our environment and the things we look at everyday has an affect on our mental health that we may not even consciously recognize.
According to “Color Psychology: Does it affect how you feel?” A Kendra Cherry One 2020 study that surveyed the emotional associations of 4,598 people from 30 different countries found that people commonly associate certain colors with specific emotions. The study showed that 52% of people associate the color yellow with joy, and 51% of respondents associated black with sadness. Colors clearly evoke subconscious emotional associations within us. Although our associations may differ due to environmental factors such as cultural or situational, it’s undeniable that colors have an effect on our feelings. While there aren’t many sources on how a lack of color affects us I think it’s evident. Wouldn’t you much rather walk through a school of beautiful pieces of art and creativity rather than one of bland industrial colors like tan, gray and brown that we see throughout our school and most other public places.
My favorite floor in SPHS is the second floor because that’s where the art hall is located. The art hall of the second floor makes it such an enjoyable place to be. Students love looking at everyone’s work as they pass by because it evokes inspiration within them to see other peoples creative expression. According to “Art and Psychological Well-Being: Linking the Brain to the Aesthetic Emotion”, levels of salivary cortisol and self-reported measure of stress in 28 healthy young individuals decreased significantly after a visit to the Guildhall Art Gallery of London. Of course everyone loves to see art in a museum but it goes beyond just making us feel good, it actually has the power to lower hormone levels in our body. It’s undeniable the impact that art has on us. Mental health is so important and it’s important to implement anything we can to help benefit our mental well being. Everything we experience throughout the day has an affect on our state of mind, which is why next time you pass by a painting, be reminded of how it most likely increases your emotional wellbeing without you even realizing.
