{"id":465220,"date":"2024-11-18T05:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/?p=465220"},"modified":"2024-12-02T13:16:23","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T19:16:23","slug":"november-discover-the-power-of-neuroaesthetics-how-art-calms-and-connects-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2024\/11\/november-discover-the-power-of-neuroaesthetics-how-art-calms-and-connects-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Use Student Art for Community Service Learning & Well-Being"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s the end-of-term rush and your desk is buried in artwork to grade. Planning time flew by as you prepped materials, responded to emails, and took a phone call. You\u2019re swamped! After the final bell rings, you stop by your favorite gallery on the way home to decompress. The moment you step inside, your breath slows, and a wave of calm washes over you.<\/span><\/p>\n

As art teachers, we know the<\/span> power of the visual arts to connect and move people<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> Now, science is proving what we\u2019ve understood all along! The field of<\/span> neuroaesthetics<\/span><\/a> is showing how art can improve emotional well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s explore how to harness neuroaesthetics through service learning in the art room to improve health and quality of life.<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"viewing<\/p>\n

What is neuroaesthetics?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Neuroaesthetics<\/span><\/a> is the study of how our brains respond to art. When we look at art, parts of our brains light up! These parts handle emotion, senses, and pleasure and <\/span>release dopamine<\/span><\/a>, which makes us feel good and reduces stress. Susan Magsamen explores how creating and viewing art can help people in her book called<\/span> This Is Your Brain on Art<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In hospitals and nursing homes, art can be a positive distraction. It helps people focus on something calming. A<\/span> study<\/span><\/a> of burn victims found that looking at pleasant images reduced their pain. This shows that art doesn\u2019t just fill a space\u2014it makes people feel better!\u00a0<\/span>Understanding how art affects the brain enables us to see the full power and potential of student artwork. Use this science as part of a service learning project to bring art and positivity to others in the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bring the power of neuroaesthetics into your classroom and community with these ideas!<\/h2>\n

Compare and contrast two artworks to capture emotional responses.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

To introduce students to neuroaesthetics, compare two very different artworks. <\/span>The Scream<\/span><\/a><\/em> by Edvard Munch and <\/span>Water Lilies<\/span><\/a><\/em> by Claude Monet are great examples to start with! These paintings show how art can prompt different emotions. <\/span>The Scream<\/span><\/i> often makes viewers feel tense or anxious, with the subject\u2019s intense facial expression and the artist\u2019s use of bold colors and swirling lines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, <\/span>Water Lilies<\/span><\/i> creates a sense of calm through soft, subdued colors and flowing shapes. Talk with students about how each piece affects their mood. Ask them to think about how the elements of art contribute to the mood. Segue into how creating and sharing calming art can bring tranquility to others, especially those who are sad or struggling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"compare<\/p>\n

Create calm with color field artists.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Research<\/span><\/a> shows that certain colors can boost our well-being. Non-objective art, especially by Color Field<\/a> artists like Wassily Kandinsky<\/a> and Helen Frankenthaler<\/a>, is ideal for this activity. The large-scale artworks with big splashes of color are a great introduction to color symbolism.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Introduce <\/span>Color Field<\/span><\/a> artists and how they used color to convey emotion without recognizable subject matter. <\/span>Reinforce color theory, focus on mixing tertiary colors, and explore blending. <\/span>Lead a guided visualization by asking, \u201cWhat colors make you feel calm? Are they cool or warm? Saturated or muted?<\/em>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Students paint a non-objective piece, using color to evoke calm. <\/span>Experiment with materials like squeegees, rollers, and sponges for blending.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re looking for resources to scaffold this process but don\u2019t have time to create your own, check out<\/span> FLEX Curriculum<\/span><\/a>. FLEX is a standards-aligned curriculum with a vast archive of lesson plans and student-facing resources.<\/span> Use worksheets like <\/span>Showing Emotion: A Formative Tool<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Discussion: Colors and Feelings<\/span><\/i> to guide students in exploring emotions through color.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"emotion<\/p>\n

Visualize positive themes through hand lettering.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Ask students to list positive themes like hope, peace, love, and kindness. By transforming these abstract ideas into hand-lettered art<\/a>, students see how art can inspire. Read Ish<\/em><\/a> by Peter H. Reynolds to encourage students to embrace abstract art and capture their theme’s essence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Students choose a positive theme and reflect on how to represent it visually. A<\/span>sk questions like, \u201cIf kindness were a color, what would it be? If hope were lines, what type would it be?\u00a0 If peace were a texture, how would it feel?<\/em>\u201d to guide their visualization. Discuss text in art and the importance of different font styles and sizes. Practice various words and quotes with step-by-step hand-lettering directions and drills. After sketching different word and composition combinations, choose a favorite to turn into a final artwork with markers and paint.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"calm<\/p>\n

Share art in community spaces to positively transform well-being.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Once students create their artwork, it\u2019s time to share it with the community<\/a>! Brainstorm a list of places with your students that could benefit from calming artwork. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some community space ideas to include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n