Is the doodle I drew on the back of my math homework a work of art? While it may not be a critically renowned illustration, it is still a personal expression of creativity.
Often, society focuses solely on the high-level professional art seen in museums, neglecting the personal benefits of recreational art creation. The world should encourage individuals from all backgrounds to explore the art world, regardless of their perceived talent.
On an individual level, the practice of creating art can immensely improve one’s well-being, even for those who are not professional artists. Christina Bain, associate professor of art education, explained the physical benefits that art can provide.
“I think it can be therapeutic but I think it can also be physically helpful as well,” Bain said. “There’s medical evidence that engaging with artistic activities, whether you’re looking at art or creating art, can have those kinds of health benefits for people who are not artists.”
Additionally, art can provide a unique output for one’s emotional identity. Beverly Frankenfeld, theatre and dance sophomore, is a stylist and costume designer for Spark Magazine. She stated the importance of art as a form of personal expression, and said she thinks everyone should have a creative outlet.
“Almost the entirety of the male choir are all STEM majors who just need a creative outlet,” Frankenfeld said.
Many UT students deal with stressful and difficult schedules. To combat burnout, students should utilize the kind of emotional outlet that art can provide, many of which students can engage with on campus.
“This campus has amazing opportunities to engage with art, from the Blanton Museum to the Black Studies Gallery to the Visual Arts Center and of course landmarks throughout the entire campus,” Bain said. “There are so many opportunities to engage with many art forms on campus. I think we are really lucky.”
With these resources at hand, no student should feel discouraged from pursuing their artistic interests. Bain offered advice on how students could personally choose to engage with art.
“You can do it on your own, whether you find a YouTube video, or you go to the craft store, or you find a book and you find something that you’re interested in and that you’re curious about,” Bain said.
On a broader scale, society should re-examine its view of art, welcoming everyday individuals into the creative world. Community events could be used to open up the artistic world.
“When there’s festivals and when there’s an art tent, I think that those kinds of things can give people an opportunity to engage with art and different art forms and see what they might like,” Bain said. “The community aspect is really, really important.”
Although many will deny the artistic value of casual artistic creations, the opportunity they provide for individuality is irreplaceable. As much of society is in a constant competition for our attention, individuals must have a way to make a space for themselves.
“In a world where we’re always looking at our phones, always doing something (or) always on the go, taking the time to sit with yourself and sit in your own thoughts and make something that no one else has any part in,” Frankenfeld said. “I think there’s something so special about that.”
Works of art can be technically astonishing masterpieces or simple doodles in a notebook, but fundamentally, no matter the quality, they are expressions of oneself. This opportunity to reflect on one’s own identity is crucial in our ever-changing world. So, whether it’s a mechanical engineer sculpting a vase or a business major experimenting with water colors, do not be afraid to make a mistake and sketch that doodle.
Stark is a chemical engineering freshman from Orange County, California.
