I was wondering, why is art therapeutic for some people? What magic does it possess to help us through difficult times, rebuild our lives and re-learn the act of hope? An epiphany came to me in an idle moment of thought:

Art is a tool for healing because it pulls our attention from the past hurt to the present moment.

When we are creating something in the here and now, we experience its tactile nature, the flow of the paint, the coolness of the clay as we begin to kneed it between our fingers, the click of the shutter as we react to at the perfect moment. These physical qualities of art making draw us into the present moment where we can be mindful of our blessings, that we are here, alive and that life is a beautiful gift worth living in the fullest manner possible.

While art grounds us in the moment, it also teaches us to look forward, to anticipate.

What will the photo look like in the end? Will the sculpture endure the kiln? Will my words resonate on the page tomorrow? Or the week after? Or next year? Once the paint ceases to drip, what will remain? In the same way, art helps us heal by bringing our attention to the future, allowing us to hope for better days and cultivating faith in our purpose and identity.

What a revolutionary epiphany!

Many people think of art as overpriced creations by eccentric individuals, displayed at stuffy galleries for the ‘cultured’ but devoid of practical use in our everyday lives. To some, this may be their only experience with art. It is true that some people make art inaccessible to the average viewer.

Despite negative experiences with art, and I’m sure most of us have had such experiences, art does have an amazing redemptive capacity when applied to an open, willing and searching soul.