Discover Your Hidden Artistic Ability
Rhody Arts believes art is for everyone. Our mission is to help new artists discover their hidden ability through guided practice in a calming environment.
We firmly stand by erasing the fixed mindset that is deeply ingrained in the fabric of our society. We do not believe that “talent” is provided by nature. We’ve seen amazing things happen when we nurture a growth mindset and pay attention to our feelings, rather than suppress them.
Often we judge art by how it looks hanging on the wall but forget the beauty, peace and discovery that happens during the process of creation. During the practice of art-making, we close the blinds on the unrelenting noise of our highly connected modern lives; the constant distractions, deadlines and to-do lists, and focus on creation and skill building. We emphasize taking time to focus on our mental health and well-being and understand that art making has value no matter the outcome.
“art-making has value no matter the outcome.”
-nick mcgowan (MAT, BA)
6 Ways Art Classes Improve Our Health and Well-being
Our courses offer a wide range of benefits across emotional, mental, physical, and social dimensions.
1. Mental and Emotional Well-Being
- Stress Relief: Engaging in creative activities can reduce cortisol levels and help manage stress.
- Emotional Expression: Art provides a safe outlet for expressing feelings that might be difficult to verbalize.
- Mindfulness and Flow: Creating art can induce a flow state, similar to meditation, improving focus and present-moment awareness.
- Self-Esteem and Confidence: Completing a piece of art can instill a sense of accomplishment and build self-worth.
2. Cognitive Benefits
- Improved Problem Solving: Artistic processes often involve experimentation and decision-making, enhancing cognitive flexibility.
- Enhanced Memory and Learning: Drawing and visual art can improve memory and help retain information. Drawing allows us to build a “visual vocabulary” where we can begin to draw realistically using our imagination.
- Stimulated Imagination: Regular art-making strengthens creative thinking and the ability to see multiple perspectives.
The creative process can reveal insights about our self-limiting false beliefs. When you actively counteract the limited mindset through art making you are awakened to the notion that not only can you succeed at art but begin to question the other areas of your life are that are also inhibited by the same limited mindset.
nick mcgowan- rhody arts founder/instructor
3. Social Benefits
- Community Building: Art classes and collaborative projects foster social interaction and a sense of belonging.
- Cultural Understanding: Creating or viewing art can increase awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures and experiences.
4. Therapeutic and Developmental Value
- Art Therapy: Art helps individuals process trauma, anxiety, and depression.
- Development in Children: Supports motor skills, visual processing, and emotional development.
5. Physical Benefits
- Fine Motor Skills: Activities like drawing, painting, and sculpting develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Your handwriting will improve too!
- Relaxation Response: Art making can lower blood pressure and heart rate, promoting a calming effect on the body. Art making is deeply immersive and time often flies by when we are engaged in our creative flow state.
6. Personal Growth and development of the Growth Mindset
- Self-Discovery: The creative process can reveal inner thoughts and insights about our deeply engrained self-limiting false beliefs. When you actively counteract the limited mindset through art you are awakened to the notion that not only can you succeed at art but begin to question other areas of your life also inhibited by the same mindset.
- Goal Setting: Artistic projects encourage planning and working toward personal goals.