How to Flood Your Brain With Dopamine by Conjuring a Feeling, a Story, or a Memory While Viewing a Painting for More Than the Usual 30 Seconds, Spend Your Time With Purpose
Step into the painting interactive blog
Research done by museums tells us that people spend 30 seconds or less viewing any one painting in their galleries. People looking on social media may spend even less time as they scroll through an art site.
I don’t think those activities counts as engaging with the arts as described by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross in their book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. They emphasize brain studies that show the many ways interacting with art gives the brain a boost of endorphins. Even twenty minutes of doodling will do that, but twenty minutes is much longer than 30 seconds of scanning a painting as you move past it..
You need to bring curiosity, which can lead to imagination and real engagment.
There are many ways to engage with art made by someone else. Art critics spend their writing time telling the historical significance of a painting or sculpture. And they may add some information on the artist. Interior designers usually give advice on how to decide which room to hang your art. Some podcasts single out groups of artists to talk about.
I am proposing another less analytical way to interact with art, especially paintings. We can use the painting in the photo at the beginning of this blog to demonstrate.
Let’s step into the painting.
This may stretch your imagination beyond its usual boundaries. That’s a good thing. curiosity and imagination is the goal.
Take on the role of the woman at the window or one of the cats
What can you see?
What do you smell?
What do you feel on your face, your hands, your feet?
What can you hear?
What are you feeling?
“Researchers now know that participating in, and fostering social connections”.. … “is akin to exercise for the brain: It improves cognitive function, lowers stress, and diminishes depression.” Your Brain on Art by Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen.’
Don’t let the rarefied atmosphere of a museum or this blog written by an artist intimidate you.
Go ahead step in, look around, use your senses to explore.
If Pierre could be beside you, he would be thrilled that you are making an effort to engage with the art he spent hours making. Most artists would tell you that they want you to spend some time looking and to feel something while noticing details they decided to add.
Spend your time wisely, your curiosity will be the ticket to dampening stress, making you smarter, and bringing more joy.
The ideal way to experience this imaginary journey into a painting is with others. Let’s start a conversation. You can answer any of the questions 1-5 you choose and if the painting reminds you of an experience tell us about it.
*** I have discovered that when you click the post comment button below a box comes up asking for your name, your email and a URL for this site, see below under my name for the URL. Luckily, it also gives you the easier option to post as a guest. Please feel free to do that and add your name in the post.