A few years ago, a journalist’s provocative question opened my eyes to the fact that every step in my professional career has had one clear, unifying intention. After taking in my latest exhibition, the writer asked why every one of my mixed media works in a recent show featured a heart. I replied that art has given me a much-needed opportunity for self-healing over the years, and the hearts reflected this important fact.
In that conversation, however, it began to dawn on me that art not only provides me with an important escape and an opportunity to heal, but it also serves as a gift I can give to others – an invitation for them to join me in the therapeutic act of healing. Today, as the various global challenges facing all of us seem to have multiplied exponentially, I have committed to being even bolder in my mission. I am determined to play a more vocal role in letting those in the field of health and wellness and others engaged in planning work environments know about the healing qualities of art, encouraging them to share these remarkable qualities. I am convinced that the potential of art to transform lives is truly limitless.
For my own healing journey, I had literally picked up the shattered pieces of glass to make my heart whole again, over and over, until I felt complete. The eight multi-media paintings in that recent exhibition featured hearts made of iridescent glass and acrylic, reflecting a shimmering, almost magical transformational quality.
I decided to leave my corporate career to pursue my calling as a professional artist. I felt drawn to express my exuberance and joy through the medium of abstract expressionism, and I filled large canvases with color and a sensibility that reflected my spirit. The positive feedback from friends and colleagues gave me the confidence to open my own studio/gallery north of Dallas, Texas.
Looking back, I can see that my collegiate studies and professional work in the corporate world prepared me for the ideas and emotions I now express through my art. Following my undergraduate studies in Psychology, I completed my graduate studies at Harvard, focusing on Industrial Organizational Psychology, and I became aware of how powerfully art can enhance healing in medical settings and promote confidence and productivity in the workplace.
Although it may be surprising that the healing power of art has not been more widely incorporated into medical and professional environments, the idea that man-made environment can have benefits beyond visual aesthetics is one that architects have recently begun to explore. The architectural team of Michael and Robin Mastro, for example, have become well known for finding inspiration in classical structures like the Mayan Pyramids and spiritual practices like Transcendental Meditation, and bringing their observations into their work. They call their work “Vastu Shastra,” and describe their approach to architecture as “creating life-enhancing, built environments that transform the lives of their clients.” Inspired by these ancient principles, their clients include current corporate giants like Microsoft and Boeing.
Over the years, prominent artists have observed the power of what we now call color therapy, as it transcends aesthetics to evoke strong emotional responses in viewers. Pablo Picasso stated, “Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” At long last, the healthcare industry has recently recognized the benefits and therapeutic effectiveness of color therapy, and the muted floral paintings long prevalent in healthcare environments are increasingly being replaced by those featuring deep, resonant colors, with the goal of lifting the spirits of patients, expediting the healing process.
We’re accustomed to the gray or beige cubicle walls still so prevalent in many corporations, not considering how it impacts our emotions. Colorful art in the workplace is just as influential as in a hospital facility, benefiting the employer and the employee. Lamara Kadagidze, a professor in Tbilisi, Poland undertook a scholarly inquiry into the role that specific colors have to evoke certain emotions, consistent and predictable responses that have evolved over many generations. She noted the qualities of fear, fire and fertility that is associated to the color red throughout many cultures. She also noted the bright, cheerful emotions evoked by the color yellow, for example.
Neuroscientist and sensory designer Ari Peralta and his team have designed what he calls a “color bath” video projection installation using soothing colors to evoke relaxation and peace. Thanks to new technology, applications of this kind are multiplying rapidly.
Again, leveraging the concept of color therapy can help employees feel uplifted, elevating their moods, allowing them to perform at a higher capacity, enhancing their sense of purpose, and feeling connected to their work. Mariana Figueiro, a professor at the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York has found similar helpful qualities can boost morale and productivity of individuals in the workplace. Through a study of “biomarkers,” the visual perception of certain shades of blue and red have been found to offer a psychological boost much like a powerful cup of coffee, without the negative effects of the caffeine.
Generation after generation, individuals have become conditioned to certain established, consistent patterns with respect to specific colors. Blues provide a sense of calmness and security while conveying trust, while reds invigorate action and energize. Greens ease stress, particularly the kind that stays close to our hearts and allows us to breathe with ease but is also motivating. A pale yellow enhances mood and is often used in well-architected memory care facilities where Alzheimer’s and dementia are prominent conditions in residents.
Researchers Andrew Elliott and Markus Maier have expressed surprise that color psychology has not been implemented in a more widespread, strategic way. “Given the prevalence of color, one would expect color psychology to be a well-developed tool,” they wrote. “Color can carry meaning and have an important influence on affect, cognition, and behavior in achievement,” they added. Every color has a purpose in how it makes you feel. Color therapy has been used in eastern cultures for centuries and is most recently acknowledged in the healthcare industry. In addition to art supporting patients, it also impacts their caretakers and healthcare staff members exposed to this environment daily.
Further, Elliot and Maier noted that color meanings and color effects are context specific. Therefore, strategically leveraging art placement in the workplace is just the beginning of how we can uplift the people we surround ourselves with daily and achieve greater productivity and decision-making. In healthcare settings and the workplace, it is clear that we have only begun to tap the possibilities.
About Nita Patel
In addition to her work as an artist – whose work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the U.S. as well as in London, Paris and Torino, Italy – Nita Patel is also an author, motivational speaker, and success coach. She is the author of “Boss Vibes,” and co-author of a volume of books including “The 13 Steps to Riches,” along with fellow contributors Kevin Harrington of “Shark Tank” and Sharon Lechter of the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” book series. Her combination studio/gallery is located in Richardson, Texas, and it’s also often a gathering spot for gatherings for her fellow artists and entrepreneurs.
To learn more about Nita Patel and see examples of her work, visit:
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