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Making art offers measurable mental and emotional benefits, supported by a growing body of research in psychology and neuroscience. Engaging in visual art—particularly painting—has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance cognitive flexibility. These effects are not limited to professional artists; they apply to anyone, including beginners in painting classes.
A 2016 study published in Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that just 45 minutes of creative activity significantly lowered cortisol levels, a biological marker of stress, in 75% of participants. Importantly, this stress reduction occurred regardless of participants' prior art experience. The act of making art engages the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing a relaxation response similar to meditation. Beyond stress relief, painting enhances emotional processing and self-awareness. According to a 2018 meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology, visual art activities promote emotional expression and help individuals explore complex feelings, leading to increased psychological resilience. Creating images can allow people to process trauma or grief nonverbally, offering a powerful outlet for those who struggle to articulate emotions through language. Cognitively, making art stimulates several brain regions associated with memory, attention, and executive function. A 2014 study by Bolwerk et al., published in PLOS ONE, found that adults who participated in a ten-week visual arts program (as opposed to an art appreciation course) showed increased functional connectivity in the default mode network of the brain. This network is tied to self-referential thought, memory retrieval, and emotional regulation. Participants also experienced higher levels of psychological resilience and reported greater personal fulfillment. Painting specifically requires fine motor skills, visual-spatial reasoning, and problem-solving, which contribute to neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. These cognitive demands may help delay age-related decline. A study published in Neurology in 2014 found that individuals who engaged in artistic activities in mid-to-late life were 73% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment compared to those who did not. Participating in painting classes adds further psychological and emotional advantages beyond solo art-making. Structured instruction provides goal-oriented engagement, which has been shown to improve motivation and increase the sense of agency. Social interaction in group classes can reduce loneliness and contribute to a sense of belonging. A 2020 review in Health Education Journal concluded that adult learners in community-based art programs reported increased self-esteem and well-being, largely due to social cohesion and skill mastery. Painting classes also foster a growth mindset. Students routinely encounter failure (such as a color mix not working or a composition falling flat) and learn to iterate and adapt. This process builds frustration tolerance and reinforces the idea that improvement comes through practice—an attitude that can transfer to other life domains.
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 Some paintings attract us more than others due to psychological, emotional, cultural, and aesthetic factors. While taste is subjective, certain elements engage our attention and emotion on a deeper level. These include composition, color harmony, emotional resonance, symbolic content, and the viewer’s personal experiences or cultural background. In the below paintings, observe what each painting evokes in you: Visual composition plays a foundational role in our response to paintings. We are naturally drawn to visual balance, rhythm, and clarity. A well-composed painting guides the viewer’s eye through the image in a way that feels satisfying or intriguing. The placement of elements within the frame can create tension, harmony, or curiosity. This subconscious visual organization can make a painting feel “right” even before we understand its content.
Color is another powerful attractor. Warm tones such as reds, oranges, and yellows create excitement or warmth, while cool tones like blues and greens evoke calm or introspection. Artists often use color to evoke emotion, and we are often unconsciously drawn to hues that resonate with our internal states or emotional needs. Beyond formal elements, emotional resonance is a major reason why some paintings attract us. A painting may reflect a mood we’re experiencing or longing for—joy, melancholy, nostalgia, wonder. We are drawn to art that mirrors our emotional world or gives voice to feelings we cannot easily express. This is especially true of figurative or symbolic art, where facial expressions, gestures, and settings invite empathy or contemplation. Cultural and personal background strongly influence what we find attractive. A painting that references a viewer’s heritage, beliefs, or lived experiences will often strike a deeper chord. Likewise, personal experiences—such as a memory of a place, a relationship, or a trauma—can create a magnetic pull toward certain subjects or styles. This makes the viewing experience unique for every individual. Lastly, the mystery or originality of a painting can be a powerful attractor. We are naturally curious beings, and when a painting challenges our expectations, invites interpretation, or contains ambiguity, it compels us to look closer. Innovative techniques, unusual perspectives, or imaginative concepts stimulate both the intellect and the imagination.  In the New York Times article below, commercial illustrator Christof Niemann discusses the challenges artists face when confronted with AI-generated images. He makes many excellent points, and his illustrations that accompany his ideas are delightfully original. I can see why he is a successful illustrator. Please read the article here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/23/magazine/ai-art-artists-illustrator.html Then see my own comments on the topic below  My Take
My primary concern is the use of AI-generated images with respect to fine art, specifically painting. First of all, I respect the choices of every artist who chooses to use AI in their creative process. And I will tell you why I personally will never use AI in any part of my artistic creative process. The first and foremost reason is that its use diminishes and atrophies an artist's creativity and imagination, while paradoxically making the art appear superior. It's much easier to tell a machine to come up with amazing images and ideas than for artists to have to go through the difficult work of doing it themselves. Someone could argue, but why do it the old, hard way "by hand”? My argument is not whether it's old or new, but about what using AI may do to my cognitive skills and imagination. Some have equated AI-generated images to the advent of photography and its impact on the artistic creative process over the past 150 years. Using a camera makes a person smarter because you have to activate your cognitive skills to select scenes to photograph. In contrast, AI-generated images are just handed to you, and then you curate them. "I'll take this one but not that one.” The AI artist has become a curator of images, not an originator. Related to this, recent studies have examined writers who use ChatGPT extensively for writing, revealing that their cognitive skills have declined significantly due to their reliance on the tool. One may assume that something similar would happen to a visual artist using images generated by AI. (Ask ChatGPT about the 2025 MIT study about the use of AI-generated content and the decline of cognitive function.) It's a larger discussion than I can get into here, but these are some of my initial thoughts.  Exposing yourself to new art offers a wide range of concrete benefits, many of which are supported by research in psychology, education, and even business. When you engage with art outside your usual tastes or comfort zone, you develop cognitive flexibility, improve your ability to empathize, and enhance your problem-solving skills. Encountering unfamiliar art challenges your perception. Whether it’s a type of visual art, performance, or music you don’t normally enjoy or understand, your brain is pushed to interpret new symbols, patterns, and forms. This process activates areas in the brain related to critical thinking. You may not immediately understand what you're looking at, but the act of trying to make sense of it is intellectually valuable. This kind of mental engagement builds tolerance for ambiguity, a trait associated with higher creativity and adaptability. (Read more below). A Deeper Dive
Exposing yourself to new art increases your capacity for empathy. Art often reflects the experiences, beliefs, and values of people from different backgrounds. When you see a painting from another culture or watch a film that portrays life in a different socioeconomic context, you’re given a window into someone else’s world. This exposure doesn’t just increase knowledge; it also helps you understand emotional perspectives that are different from your own. Studies have shown that regularly engaging with the arts can make people more empathetic and socially aware. There are also measurable benefits for communication. People who engage with diverse forms of art often become better at expressing themselves. That’s not just because they’re picking up artistic skills, but because they’re exposed to many different modes of expression. For example, a sculpture might convey a complex idea without using any words at all. Observing how artists communicate helps you refine your own ability to convey ideas in more precise or nuanced ways. This can be useful not only in creative fields, but also in business, education, and personal relationships. From a practical standpoint, seeing new art can help break routine patterns of thought. This is especially useful in problem-solving. When your brain gets used to the same kinds of inputs, your ideas tend to become repetitive. New art interrupts that cycle. It introduces unexpected elements that can stimulate different ways of thinking. This kind of mental disruption is a key ingredient in innovation. Finally, exposing yourself to new art can reduce stress and improve overall mental health. While art doesn’t replace therapy or medical treatment, studies have shown that people who engage with art regularly often report feeling more satisfied with their lives. Even passive exposure—like walking through a museum or listening to an unfamiliar piece of music—can lead to lower cortisol levels and improved mood. In short, regularly seeking out new and unfamiliar art isn't just a hobby—it’s a way to expand your mental toolkit, improve social and emotional understanding, and stay mentally flexible in a fast-changing world. The benefits are practical, measurable, and applicable to many areas of life. |
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Patrick Howe, Artist, Author and Educator Seattle, WA. Contact: [email protected] |
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