Art Matters: How Teens Can Benefit Too
Art classes are crucial to your teen’s mental and physical development throughout their adolescent years. This is a delicate time when they are filled with hormonal changes and finding out about their identity and self-awareness. It can also be beneficial to parents and teachers who are experiencing firsthand the rollercoaster of your teen’s emotions.
Emotions and Turmoil
The adolescent years are the most tumultuous time in a teen’s life. Time is typically spent searching deep within for who they are and adults may see this as a frustrating process and lose patience. Teens are extremely emotional and many may choose to go to the opposite end of the spectrum of their parent’s personality while others will be drawn closer to them. At this stage teens are looking to figure things out and marvel at the accomplishments that they can tackle on their own. Art provides this creative connection and allows them an outlet for their expression.
Expression
Creative projects and art give teens a voice, and they can utilize this means of expressionism to showcase who they are and what they want to be. This is a difficult age because someone is telling them what to do during school and at home. Some of the most well-known artists around the globe found art to be a soothing method of therapy and designed pictures and sculptures that depicted their inner souls.
Whether they create something in clay or paint, this allows teens the chance to do something on their own. It can also help a teen who has a troubled home life, and they need a creative outlet for the pain and anxiety that they may be feeling through family issues such as divorce or the death of a parent.
Problem-Solve
As you grow and change, you’ll find that you have to continuously problem-solve and make decisions on your own. Art classes also permit a teen the opportunity to think independently and find a resolution that works. Paintings, drawings and sculpting need various calculations to bring out a specific piece of artwork. Problem-solving is easy when you enjoy what you do and get your creative juices flowing.
There also won’t be severe repercussions for their blemishes or mistakes because art is a free thinking type of class. With a little imagination and creativity, the world is their oyster.
Teen Support
Parents and teachers can support a teen’s artistic endeavors in a number of ways. Purchasing art supplies as a holiday gift or birthday present can be meaningful. You can also introduce your teen to the world of artistic pleasure by taking them to a museum, art exhibit or musical concert. If they find a piece they love, you can purchase a framed one at a site like www.artismo.com. It will show your teen that you listened and cared enough to invest in something they love.
It’s difficult to determine how deep your teen’s creativity runs, so you may want to plan an outdoor photography excursion. You can also show interest by asking to see their sketch book or take a drawing class outside of school together.
Art classes are an important way for your teen to connect and express their inner feelings. It’s also a great way for parents to stay in touch with their teens and support them by showing that you’re interested in their creative process.
Being a parent of a teen is not something that writer Melanie Fleury is looking forward to. With a preteen wanting to grow up too fast, she has learned that keeping open lines of communication and knowing your child’s likes and dislikes helps to minimize the drama. For her artist child, Melanie has often bought framed artwork from sites like www.artismo.com to help fuel her daughter’s imagination.
