Performance Corner: Art Brings Energy to Daily Life

As the Pablo Picasso quote mentioned above, art truly can dust off the drudgery of daily life.

Have you ever been so overwhelmed or exhausted that all you wanted to do was sit down and watch a great movie or listen to some beautiful music?

There’s a reason for that.

We turn to the performing arts when our hearts are seeking solace or a moment to just leave what is weighing on us in an imaginary box by the door and experience peace or joy.

We watch movies and tv shows to join in the worlds that they create, just for a while, to give us someone to root for (or against) and hope for that happy ending we all seek.

We read books to transport us into the worlds our imagination creates with the help of the writer’s words.

We listen to music to help elicit feelings we may not even know are there, that need to be processed and released.

Truly, in my opinion, art is not just a way to escape when life feels hard, but a way to process and heal, as well as experience true joy.

I am a recovered anorexic, and I no longer am ashamed to share that, thanks in part to all of the art therapy I have done over the years. Drawing, writing, composing, taking music and acting classes, teaching music and acting classes, and performing have helped me process the things I could not process on my own.

Art has saved my life, again and again. Not just watching, hearing, or reading art, but DOING art.

When you make the leap from being a supporter or spectator to being the creator, something opens up within you that can bring a whole other level of peace, joy, and accomplishment. Learning an art form teaches discipline, but it also allows you to explore things within yourself that maybe you are too scared to do otherwise. It gives us permission to play, to be passionate, to use our own unique voices to contribute to a collective higher energy.

Even if you are doing the art just for yourself, you are still creating, still allowing yourself to be free, if just for a few moments.

The flip side to this is that when you release your art to the world, in tangible form or as a performance, you open yourself up to others’ opinions about your interpretation. The thing to remember is, everyone has an opinion and you are not going to make everyone happy. Art is subjective. It’s meant to have different perspectives. If you can keep your ego in check, and be willing to let go of the things you create with love, then trying out a performing art form might just be what you need. You’ll find that the feelings that come from the process of creating and performing will change you, and usually for the better. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of releasing your own creation out into the world, even if it’s just releasing it to your living room for yourself:-)

What art form have you always wanted to try, but haven’t gotten the chance to yet? Leave your answer in the comments below.