Creative Wellness
As far back as I can remember, I have lived a creative life. Through the stories of Anne (with an ‘e’) and Alice, to music and art, my curiosity has led me down a lot of rabbit holes. There is nothing better than stopping time by losing yourself in a story, music, or art. Whether you call this escapism, flow, or divine intervention from ‘Source’, the time spent in this state is unparalleled. Working with our hands to create is magical, and frustrating, and beautiful, and chaotic. And I believe, it’s something people are searching for in a forever increasing virtual world.
There are thousands of studies demonstrating the potential of the arts in health promotion, illness prevention and even treatment management(1). Social media science soundbites citing connections between art marking and emotional wellbeing are popping into feeds daily. And people are looking for alternatives to talk therapy.
The Call for Daily Acts of ‘Creative Kindness’
"Simple, quick, accessible 'acts of art' can enhance your life. In the same way you might exercise to lower cholesterol and increase serotonin in the brain, just twenty minutes of doodling can provide immediate support for your physical and mental state."
— Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, Your Brain on Art
As a former board-certified music therapist and a graphic-designer-turned-marketing-executive for a global health-and-wellness company, I have been on the front line of acute psychiatric hospitalizations and corporate burnout. As a young therapist, I felt like the behavioral health system was impossible to navigate. Even worse when escalated during a crisis. Years later, I found myself leading creative and marketing teams, struggling with balancing creative health and the need for flow state against increasing project loads and impossible deadlines. I understood first-hand the impact of sustained stress on mental health and—whether it was mine to carry or not—felt responsible for the wellbeing of the team.
In the same way I knew I couldn’t change the behavioral health system; I walked away from a lucrative corporate career. At that point, my heart had been hiding behind not one, but two shadow careers in the arts. It was time for me to be hands-on creative again—and I wanted to bring people with me.
When I started LivingKind Design in 2018, I wanted it to capture a way of living. I love design. I love working with stained glass. And I knew, I wanted to share this energy and light with others — creating a safe space for people to live curious, so that they can find their own path, know their value, and understand their contribution to the world.
In the LivingKind workshops, I blend visual arts with music, meditation and reflection in an in-person, group art studio setting. Some workshops may focus on boosting curiosity and courage by learning new painting techniques from other artists. Other workshops, like ‘Sound & Color’ use elemental themes around security, support, pleasure, and freedom, among others, with the intent to provoke discussion and gain clarity in your own life through art. All workshops are designed to help you take a few hours out of your day to slow down, focus on yourself, spend time with others in a safe space, and provoke your curiosity through art. In a world where we are constantly living beyond human scale, it’s time we take a moment … to just be in that moment.
If this sounds like something you’re interested in, maybe you are the living kind too. If you are willing to get your hands dirty, sit in the friction of uncomfortable conversations to learn more about yourself and perhaps find common ground with people you might not otherwise have had the chance to meet, I hope you’ll follow along. There’s so much more to come.
Source 1: Fancourt, Daisy & Finn, Saoirse. (2019). What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/329834. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
