The History of Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
While we do not know exactly when Inspire Your Heart with Art Day started, we do know that art has always been an important tool for humankind. Whether it is paintings on a cave wall or Egyptian hieroglyphics, we have used art to document history and communicate for ages. In modern times, art serves to delight, inspire, and heal. The joy and freedom one experiences while being creative is unlike anything else. Inspire Your Heart With Art Day encourages us to celebrate the many ways being creative helps children grow.
At Believe in Me – Foundation for Kids, we believe in investing in organizations that promote art in schools and at home. This is why we have awarded a grant to local nonprofit Art Beyond Limits that will allow them to purchase art supplies. Everyone is creative. All one needs to access that creativity is materials, the space to create, and someone to cheer you on. All of which can be found at Art Beyond Limits. At their partner organization, M.A.D Co. Lab Studios, they offer classes and studio space for artists of all ages and abilities. On Inspire Your Heart With Art Day, we celebrate organizations such as this one that strive to make art accessible to everyone.
Why You Should Celebrate Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
Why should you celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art Day? For starters, it is the perfect opportunity to get creative. Denny Carman, program director at Art Beyond Limits, says all you need to do to inspire youth to create art is put them in front of a canvas, “they just get excited.” Additionally, encouraging children to celebrate art has numerous benefits outside of creating fantastic work.
First, art is a powerful tool for enriching children’s lives because it builds self-confidence. Whether it is painting, sculpting, or drawing, the finished product always inspires a sense of accomplishment because the artist has made something completely unique that they can call their own. At Art Beyond Limits, all creative projects are met with encouragement and praise. Artists even have the opportunity to showcase their work in a gallery. Seeing their work hanging on the wall is surreal for many creators. “You can just see their faces light up, I think it gives them a lot of confidence,” says Carman. Receiving recognition for their work evokes a sense of pride in kids. This feeling builds their confidence and increases the chances that they will continue to make art in the future.
Another reason why it is so important to celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art Day is the potential art has for self-expression. A blank canvas has limitless possibilities. Kids are free to draw or paint whatever is in their hearts. Sometimes, art is the best way to express feelings and emotions you do not know how to articulate. When you express yourself artistically you are not limited by language. This fantastic form of self-expression can help kids find their voice and gain a deeper understanding of who they are without having to put it into words.
Lastly, art brings joy. Studies show that being creative leads to higher levels of happiness in an individual (Psychology Today). This is because the creative process transports us to a different headspace where we can relax and explore. Forgetting the struggles of our daily lives, we are free to express ourselves however we like. Additionally, most of us can recall a painting, play, movie, or piece of music that touched our hearts and inspired us. Art has a special way of doing that.
Ways You Can Celebrate
Art is everywhere you look, from the calendar hanging on your wall to the graphic tee you put on this morning. It has been delighting humankind for as long as anyone can remember. What would it be like if we did not have art? Who would design clothes, cars, houses? Many do not consider the people thinking up these important parts of our everyday lives as artists, but it is true that all these projects start with a sketch. A great way to celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art day is to take a moment to pause and appreciate all the unexpected ways art makes your life more beautiful.
Another great way to celebrate this wonderful holiday is by getting creative! There are so many different ways to create, and today is the perfect day to find one that is right for you. Maybe you pick up a pencil, crayon, or marker and let your imagination run wild. Or, if you play an instrument, have an impromptu concert. Hop online and try to uncover some fun DIY crafts or projects you could do with a friend or put on some music and have a painting night.
Finally, what better way to inspire than sharing your art with others? If you have created something you are proud of, show it off! You might motivate others to pick up a paintbrush.
You could even make something special for an important person in your life. Art makes the best gift because it is personal. The person receiving the gift knows it was made especially for them. All in all, there are countless ways to have fun and get creative on Inspire Your Heart With Art Day.
How Art Helps Kids
We know that art builds confidence, encourages self-expression, and brings joy but did you know it also has incredible healing power? Expressive art therapy is a form of therapy that aims to better a child’s social, emotional, and mental health through artistic expression. Licensed art therapists help patients convey their more difficult emotions, perceptions, or thoughts through different mediums. This form of therapy can be useful for children who have experienced trauma. Sometimes, the only way they know how to communicate their experience is through imaginative stories. Utilizing this form of therapy allows kids to confront negative emotions and process them in a safe, healthy way. Eventually, negative experiences are transformed into positive ones through art therapy.
All in all, art is excellent for a child’s growth and development. Like exploring the outdoors (link outdoors article) or making time for play (link play article), art has the potential to enrich children’s lives by inviting new ways of thinking. Being able to think outside the box is an invaluable skill as it leads to better problem-solving. Research suggests that children equipped with good problem-solving skills are happier and more resilient.
Charities Celebrating This Special Day
There are numerous organizations celebrating art and all the ways it betters our lives. Art Beyond Limits provides studio space and supplies for people of all ages and the ability to make a piece they are proud of. The preschoolers in the ECEAP program at YWCA Spokane sent in these beautiful drawings they made to celebrate Inspire Your Heart With Art Day:
At Believe in Me – Foundation for Kids, we have a vision where every kid develops the self-confidence they need to succeed. That’s why we’re on a mission to make sure every kid has a safe place to call home, a family that loves them, a community that supports them, and opportunities to learn, develop self-esteem, and have fun.
We also believe there’s something magical about creating art, playing music, and exploring outside. These activities take kids to another place and provide them opportunities to use their imagination and see a new world full of possibilities. Positive play environments, getting outdoors and learning to enjoy the arts allow the whole child to be spontaneous, exhibit their resilience, and find the enchantment to spin up their own dreams and play out their instinctive nature. Believe in Me – Foundation for Kids values these important components in the development of our community’s kids and invites you to join us in helping inspire kids’ hearts with art!
