Shannon Christensen • Artist & Creativity Author
  • Welcome
    • Blog - Creative Roadtrip
    • 1 Lifestyle - Be Brave
    • 2 Learning - Be Bright
    • 3 Living - Be Bold
    • 4 Loving It - Be Brilliant
  • PASSPORT
  • JUMPSTART 8 CPH
  • MEMBERSHIP
  • MORE
    • Benefits of Creativity
    • Personal Portfolio
    • Shop >
      • Supplies - LIFEBOOK
      • Supplies List - CHBC
      • Supplies Lists - SKILLSHARE
      • Backpack Gift Guides II

Blog - The Creative Roadtrip

Don't Be a Baboon - Get Some Art Attitude

7/27/2010

0 Comments

 
Wired magazine (which I think is fabulous) has an article, Under Pressure by Jonah Lehrer about stress. Lehrer introduces Robert Sapolsky who did fieldwork in Nairobi with a "hypothesis that the stress involved in being at the bottom of the baboon hierarchy led to health problems." He deduced being status-less led to stress manifest in being more sickly, skittish, skinny and sex starved. That was 1978. 

Since then "Sapolsky's speculation has become scientifice fact." - "Chroinic stress.... is an extrememly dangerous condition. And not just for baboons; People are as vulnerable to its effects as those low-ranking male apes." Stress doesn't cause diseases but it sure doesn't help them. (You should read the article for the particulars but don't get side tracked right now. Stay focused, we're talking about art.)

Have you ever been stressed out viewing art? Didn't think so.
Have you ever noticed a rowdy crowd in a gallery? Don't think so. They're pretty much a mellow group.
Any screaming matches in a museum? No. It's quite like there - low voice, low motion, low lights - you could nap there. 
Has anyone ever had a heart attack buying art? Personally I would at some of those prices but those who buy it usually can afford it. It's not a forced by for them. 
How many times have you heard someone say they "love" a piece of art they purchased? Well, you have to know people who buy art but it happens all the time.

So, in my most scientific of methods I have concluded art is
1) a health investment for lowering stress and
2) a social investment for elevating status.

There ya go. Science Magazine will be calling me up any moment for my profound conclusions.

Here's 5 ways to reduce stress with art- 

       • go to museums and mingle among the masters
       • go to galleries, art openings, art fairs and enjoy
       • surround yourself with art of all kinds
       • buy art that particularly moves you
       • create some art (oh, I take that back, I've been known to 

           throw a paintbrush in frustrated stress before)
       • talk about art you admire with others

So don't be a baboon. Get some stress reducing, health inducing art attitude.

Subscribe
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Shannon's Studio

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    October 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    September 2013
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

The Creative Lifestyle page
​The Creative Living page
The Creative Learning page
The Creative Loving It page
Shop Backpacks & Bags
Shop Class Supplies List - Skillshare
Shop Class Supplies List - Creative Heartbeats Club
Shop Etsy Shannon's Studio 
2005 - 2021 © shannon christensen • ShannonsStudio@gmail.com
  • Welcome
    • Blog - Creative Roadtrip
    • 1 Lifestyle - Be Brave
    • 2 Learning - Be Bright
    • 3 Living - Be Bold
    • 4 Loving It - Be Brilliant
  • PASSPORT
  • JUMPSTART 8 CPH
  • MEMBERSHIP
  • MORE
    • Benefits of Creativity
    • Personal Portfolio
    • Shop >
      • Supplies - LIFEBOOK
      • Supplies List - CHBC
      • Supplies Lists - SKILLSHARE
      • Backpack Gift Guides II