If you were a fly on my wall during one of my art classes, you would most likely be surprised at how quiet I like to keep my class environment. I do this for a couple of reasons, but most importantly because I like to create a space where true creativity can flourish.

What does silence have to do with creativity?  I'm happy to share.

I once attended a lecture where the presenter was speaking on what the eye notices in the midst of distractions. Evidently, when the mouth is talking,  the eye misses details in what it is seeing.  So when one is drawing or painting, if they are talking, the eye is not noticing all the details of its viewing area.  On a larger scale, when an entire classroom of adults or children are talking, not only are they engaged in speaking, they are also bombarded with a lot of noise for their brains to have to disseminate. This is a sure-fire way to crush creativity because the brain is experiencing information overload.

By the same token, since we're on the subject of the brain, the neuro-networks in the human brain are always looking to improve efficiency by seeking out shortcuts....sort of like a computer that caches information for easier recall.  For instance, when the eye sees a hand, the brain says hand.  And yet there is more to a hand than the palm and the digits.  The sort of details an artist would be interested in are, is it male or female, old or young, smooth or rough?  These are details that are available for the eye to see, as long as there is the brain capacity available to see it. Keeping the mind clear of clutter and giving it the silence and space to see all there is to see will really help to bring out all those crucial details.

Now, that fly on my art wall will notice that a nice, quiet environment is really a thoughtful gift I try to provide for all of my budding artists. And what I notice is this. When an individual is really focused and "into" their art project, they appreciate the silence too.

Artfully,
Karen