Vitamin A(rt): The Rejuvenating Effects of Art-Making
Need a cure for the winter blues? Making art could be just the thing!
By Amy Fleischer, Pomegranate Center intern
We all know the drill: light-levels get lower, temperatures begin to drop, and our moods follow suit. It’s easy to get down during the winter months, especially since our social interactions can wane, just like the sun, as we retreat into our homes and private spaces.
I have heard that this phenomenon is common to people living in the Pacific Northwest, yet this fact doesn’t make it any easier to bear. Therefore, last week, I was extremely pleased to discover a natural anecdote to the feeling of isolation that can sneak up on me in the winter months: making art with others.
On November 12, I woke up early to meet the Pomegranate Center crew and make my way down to Tacoma, WA, where we planned to paint a bus shelter with members of the Salishan community and celebrate the opening of a park that was recently completed.
Before that morning, I had very little knowledge of where we were headed or whom we would meet when we arrived. Still, I was happy to be along for the ride.
As the day progressed and people trickled in to help with the project, the satisfaction I experienced was much deeper than finding a pleasant way to spend the day. It spoke to my need for collaboration and communication during periods of darkness. I so enjoyed meeting people from the Salishan community and getting to know my fellow Pomegranate Center folks that I enthusiastically attached pictures of our nearly-finished product to every email I sent last week!
Amy (left) and a Salishan community member painting the bus shelter glass.
Celebrating the multiple victories at Salishan has given me greater insight into the work that we do. For example, while we manically painted dots to form a galaxy on panes of plexi-glass last week, we were reminded to step back, take notice, and incorporate patterns made by others. Perhaps this advice was heeded on a number of levels, as this project gave me perspective on the true presence of community in my life.
Sometimes, making art can be a solo endeavor and still be immensely satisfying. However, making space for connection through collaboration shows how projects accrue richness by opening up to others. The difference was palpable.
So when the winter rain keeps me indoors and I see my neighbors less and less, I won’t forget that there are many ways to resist this feeling of isolation and improve my neighborhood at the same time.
Why not gather a group to renovate a bus shelter in my own community? It’s amazing how easy it is to get involved in a project that can take so little time and create such a long-lasting sense of pride and rejuvenation.
Amy is a Pomegranate Center intern. She is a talented artist who works with us one day a week and helps out on projects on-site.
Interested in volunteering or becoming an intern? Contact Bree at bree@pomegranate.org.