Paintings

The arts are something that even the least artistically inclined likely imagine, are important and beneficial. Even if we don’t quite understand why the arts are an invaluable element within our social fabric: family, sports, religion, education, music, art. The list of things that bind us together in a society is long. More and more it is becoming clear that not only is art part of that fabric, it is a key element in our health, particularly in our senior years. 1. Participation in the visual arts improves psychological health, self-esteem and physical health Research shows that participation in various art-forms: visual arts, music, writing, drama and the like, or observing one or more [...]

I must have been, maybe, seven years old. I was visiting the school library during the free reading time they allowed in primary school. I always loved the scent of old books and wooden shelves that was so characteristic of libraries back then. That, and the aged wisdom that came with those books. Perhaps I am an old soul, at least I always felt like one. The book was a collection of paintings by various artists. The bright Picasso on the front cover drew my attention right away. I don’t recall the name of that book, just the impact the visuals made on me. It took my young breath away. I knew it caused [...]