Luckily, we have natural antidepressants. Soft and soothing colors in our space and in our mind’s space are some of these spirit-uplifting things. Color matters, and especially at places, where we spend much time.
Winter is nice some days, but, when storms last for weeks and sun don’t come out frequently, we are reminded that we need cheering up to do.
Do not allow weather affect you
I have a long history of experiencing how bad Seasonal Affective Disorder can become. It is abbreviated SAD. It is sad, indeed. We sometimes miss the fact that life passes by and we just have to skip so many pleasures of it when we are feeling depressed or upset. The bad weather can do that to you. To resist, we paint. At least, I do.
Cure yourself with color and art
I can tell from my personal experience that drawing and painting always helps overcome depression when it is about to set in. When I feel winter blahs are about to take over, I immediately put myself at the desk and start drawing and painting. It isn’t sometimes anything in particular; however, I have noticed that drawing and painting flowers in lovely, soothing and nice colors is an extra beneficial step.
The lovely subject: flowers
We have been drawing and painting flowers and landscapes with flowers in my studio in winter and early spring months since 2012. My students noticed and acknowledged that, too: soft, lovely colors and beautiful shapes of flowers made them feel like meditating with color. Time flew by, and they never even once remembered about their health issues, problems, aches, pains and mental disorders. The truth is that many people come to paint to lift their mood and to feel better.
Cure winter blahs with learning new things
There are serious reasons we feel more sleepy, inactive and unwilling to do anything during times when daylight is short and outdoors is not welcoming. The melatonin production is increased and that can make us sleepier than we would like. Is pushing oneself a little bit the answer? It most likely is because it will take some effort to get up from couch and stop eating the comfort foods or to get out and start doing something.
Learning something new
Learning something new is also an extremely worthwhile thing because it will make you feel more excited, more energized and more engaged. Drawing and painting is a very special activity because it takes your entire mind and all your senses to create art on white paper or canvas. Drawing and painting is very rewarding, too, because we see results soon.
Adding soft pink and coral colors
For additional effect, we can create art in lovely pink and coral colors and use it in our space. The best thing is to paint such art yourself. If you think you cannot draw or paint, you are wrong. Anybody who has some interest in art can learn drawing and painting.
My newest watercolor paintings
My newly finished paintings are all in lovely colors and they are mostly still life and floral art. I enjoyed every single minute while drawing and painting these watercolor paintings, and I would say this process literally lifted my mood every time I picked up the brush.
Some art products look so fantastic, that I sometimes buy them for my own use also.
Watercolor on Arches, roses, soft background, beautiful colors
3 orchid blooms, watercolor painting on 24 x 18″ paper
I hope you will get inspired and do some painting also. This is the right time to get started. This is the right time to start creating something beautiful in order to avoid winter blahs this year.
More info and registration for art classes: apply here
Copyright notice: Copyrights of displayed paintings, drawings, images of work in progress and images of finished paintings belong to artist Inese Poga. The use of painting and drawing images is prohibited if I have not issued a written permission.
