Hopeful Happiness by dorotheasandra.com
Is creating art for health, healing and happiness science or pure mysticism? I think we’ve come a long way in “evidence-based” art design. For many hospitals or medical facilities “evidence-based art” is the only way to go. It isn’t just about an artist creating something for artistic impact, it is art based on the scientific analysis of the impact of art on healthcare environments, on patients, and on staff. This isn’t mere mysticism. This involves art based on rigorous scientific studies and a reporting of their outcomes.
When I create art for health, healing and happiness, I draw from my knowledge of what makes up “evidence-based” restorative/healing art, and I try to put myself in the position of the individuals purchasing art for these reasons. I often imagine myself as an interior designer tasked with an important job or as a healthcare art consultant responsible for making major decisions impacting the health and well-being of so many people.
“Evidence-based” restorative/healing art carefully considers colors and subject matter and overall impact on its viewers. It takes a viewer’s state or situation into consideration and tries to keep it positive and—if the viewer is not doing well—perhaps even turn it around.
Whether working on a 5’x8’ canvas or 9”x12” print, the feeling of HOPE is something I try to build somewhere inside most of my art. I try to create art that people look at and say, “This painting is so cheerful. It makes me feel happy. No matter how difficult my situation might be at this moment, these colors and shapes and Nature-based subject matter (high in the “evidence-based” criteria) create inside me a feeling of HOPE.
For me, this kind of art isn’t about artistic whims or muses or mysticism. It’s all about relying on “evidence” and using my talent/creativity to create health, healing and happiness!
Great Lakes Singing by dorotheasandra.com