Walking into school, you review the extensive list of events in your head. A meeting at 10:30 needs to be attended, a report needs to be recorded by the end of the day, five people need to be contacted and several other tentative deadlines need to be met.
As we find that the days get busier, especially within the winter months, some find solace in many different forms, whether physical activity or other de-stressing techniques. Alternatively, it is a common experience for those who enjoy art to find relaxing qualities in the pieces they collect or create.
Students have found a similar healing in art. An art club led by President Lucy McGovern, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, encourages creativity among its members through weekly meetings and occasional excursions to different museums or galleries.
Held in the Haggerty Art Museum on Marquette’s campus, there is light chatter and mentions of an upcoming basketball game at the club’s last meeting before winter break. A few students are coloring ornaments for the upcoming holiday, while others use mediums like watercolor or colored pencils on paper. Some choose to catch up on their studies and finish their final assignments. The atmosphere is calm, with low voices and light music playing in the background.
This glimpse of peace is what McGovern says draws her into creating art.
“I am a super busy person, so it is hard to put aside intentional time to do something like paint a picture, but I find that I enjoy the other things that I do more when I get to incorporate art and be creative,” McGovern said. “For me, art is relaxing. I love that there are no pressures or expectations—there are so many different styles, so it is impossible to be wrong. You can turn mistakes into something new, be mindless or be super focused.”
Scott Dale, an associate professor of Spanish with a focus on Hispanic Art and Spanish Literature and Culture, does not practice art himself but finds solace in collecting and looking at art. He finds that visual inputs are significant in his personal life, especially in the spaces of his home.
Dale shared that he has recently worked with an artist who he believes creates work that reflects his soul. Her paintings, displayed in his house, put him in a more hopeful and positive mindset for the day.
“It’s sort of a visual reminder of every time we wake up in the morning, it helps to choose a positive attitude. It’s very easy to wake up and complain about how difficult life is, or the human experience, or challenges, they can really get us down. But if you make a conscious effort to choose a positive mindset, that can really help,” Dale said.
With art opportunities located all around Milwaukee, including on Marquette’s campus, it is hard for some students not to feel inspired to appreciate or create the art that they want.
This story was written by Bridget Lisle. She can be reached at [email protected].
