September 08, 2021

5 Health Benefits of Viewing Art in Your Home

From oil on canvas in stately mansions to abstract art in chic apartments, paintings have long adorned our living spaces. When decorating our homes, our designs and color schemes show our style and give us pleasure. Choosing paintings is no different. Whether realism, impressionism or abstract art is your passion, did you know that looking at art in your home is good for your health too?

  1. Your walls are your canvas for self-expression
    The artwork in your home isn’t just a matter of artistic taste. The paintings you choose also reflect your personality, culture, life experiences and interests. Just as the artist communicates through their art, we tell our stories and convey our emotions through the artwork we hang on our walls. Art starts conversations with friends and family too – people love to share their thoughts. So, whether you make a bold statement or prefer subtle messages and tones, the art in your home is a way to express your identity.
  2. Art elevates mood and encourages mindfulness
    When we look at beautiful paintings, the blood flow to our brain increases just like it does when we look at someone we love, according to research by University College London. “When you look at art – whether it is a landscape, a still life, an abstract or a portrait – there is strong activity in that part of the brain related to pleasure,” says Neurobiologist Professor Semir Zeki who led the study.

If you enjoy wandering around art galleries, you’ll be familiar with losing track of time as you contemplate each painting. You can create similar opportunities for mindfulness and connection with visual art in your home.

  1. Art stirs positive emotions that reduce stress
    Art therapy is used as a natural way to treat anxiety and depression and this hands-on experience also reduces the stress hormone cortisol to healthier levels. But if creating art isn’t your thing, the same benefits can be enjoyed simply by looking at art. Visual art also has an anti-inflammatory effect. A study by UC Berkeley found that art evokes positive emotions, which reduce inflammatory proteins in the body.
  2. Looking at paintings boosts brainpower
    Science now backs up what art enthusiasts have long felt about art. Looking at people’s reactions to art from a neurological perspective, studies in the field of neuroaesthetics confirm that art is good for your brain. Paintings can stimulate critical thinking, pattern matching, decision-making, idea generation and emotional connection as we search for meaning.
  3. Art can help you heal emotionally
    Viewing art also helps us explore our emotions and experiences and heal says psychologist and poet Joan Cusack Handler. “While active involvement with making art involves creative expression of what one feels — consciously and unconsciously, so too participation in another’s experience helps us to access those feelings in ourselves.”

And did you know that art can speed up post-operation recovery? A study published in the Journal for Organizational Psychology found that the mood uplift from looking at Abstract Romanticism paintings reduced the length of stay in hospital.

So, when we surround ourselves with beautiful paintings, we’re not only creating a stylish home and pleasing environment for living and working, but we enjoy health benefits too!

For instant impact in your living room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen or hall, we have curated an eclectic selection of handmade oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, framed for a professional finish. Create your own style and decor with original Art by Maudsch. Enjoy!