The Arts Relieve Stress

by Jayne Behman

Regardless of the pleasures they offer, important events in our lives can be stressful. In the right circumstances, a certain amount of stress can enhance performance, like a job presentation or musical audition. 'Tis the season for major life changes—birth, marriage, graduation—all of which contribute to our stress levels, both positive and negative.

Packing up one's home and leaving milestone memories behind is a significant event that produces high levels of stress. For artists, a studio move is so overwhelming that creativity fizzles and frustration sets in, along with insanity. Artists become distracted, forgetful, and irritable when they cannot create.

Pre-planning to reduce stress, I allowed four weeks to bundle up my studio, each day, packing a box or two. In the end it still wasn't enough time. I found myself throwing items haphazardly into empty boxes and taping them shut without identifying their contents. Convoys of autos and one large u-haul truck schlepped boxed items and loose treasures from the old place to my new diggs. It took over two weeks to complete the shift and the same amount of time to unpack.

It is said that positive thinking reduces stress levels.  Making art relieves my stress.  As soon as floor space 12 x 10 feet was freed up, the paint was flying on the canvas. Come to think of it, it's been over five weeks and the J. Behman Gallery/Studio, now located at 1254 2nd Street in Baywood (Los Osos), remains somewhat disorganized, but I'm creating all the same. 

Normal levels of stress won't harm you, but high levels can lead to negative health conditions. When stress gets out of hand, it's time to find practical ways to slow down and lower your stress levels. Hang out at your favorite art gallery. You can spend hours just browsing and looking at the latest art trends. Who knows, this might spark your creative juices!

Art Center/Morro Bay, located at 835 Main Street, is the center for three July art-ivities. Daily hours of operation are noon-4:00 pm. For information on these three showcases call 805 772-2504

Ongoing It's A New Day exhibits June 24 to July 18. This showcase features three acclaimed county artists, Jackie Morello, figurative artist, Jade Herrera, mixed-media collage, and Jacque Brackett, who dazzles us in every media.

On July 25th from 3:00-5:00pm, enjoy the Awards Reception for the annual juried showcase Brushstrokes 2010, juried by world acclaimed artist David Limrite. This exhibition offers over 48 works of art and continues through August 20th. Hosted by the Art Center/Morro Bay, this is a collaborative showcase sponsored by the SLO Museum of Art's OPAG (Oil, Pastel, Acrylic Group).

Art in the Park, the third art event sponsored by the Morro Bay Art Center, is Morro Bay's most popular art's fair. With 100 local and regional fine arts exhibitors, it runs Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, July 3rd through 5th, from 10am to 5pm, at the Morro Bay City Park, at Harbor & Morro Bay Boulevard. This fair supports art scholarships for county high school and college students.

David Limrite, the judge for Brushstrokes 2010, is offering a hands-on, three day workshop beginning July 26th at the SLO Museum of Art (formerly the SLO Art Center) in San Luis Obispo.  Entitled Variations on a Theme: Creating a Series through experimentation, the objective of this workshop is to provide intermediate/advanced students with both the opportunity and instruction to study and interpret their choice of subject matter with purpose and understanding through experimentation.  Participants are limited.  To sign up for this workshop contact the SLO Museum of Art  805 543-8562

The Cayucos Art Associations' July Show will feature the works of several distinguished local photographers, including work by Peggy Janssen, Sam Peck, Garry Johnson, Ralph Wessel, Twila Stofer and others.  It will run from July 2 to August 18th.  The public is invited to the reception for the photography show on Sunday, July 18th, from 1 to 3pm. The Cayucos Art Gallery is located at the Vet's Hall at the Cayucos pier and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 pm. For information call 805. 995-2266.

The Gallery at the Network, located at 778 Higuera St., Suite B, in San Luis Obispo, is pleased to feature enamel wall art and jewelry created by Maggie Pickering as well as a sample of her clay vessels and whimsical sculpture. In the works Maggie will be presenting, she employs two techniques.   The simpler sifting and stenciling technique achieved with dry, powdered enamels, and the cloisonné technique.  With the cloisonné method, she uses thin ribbons of wire to separate areas of enamel color.  The enamel is then applied wet in several layers until each segment is filled.  Both techniques require that the piece be fired several times.  The Artist's reception is during Art After Dark on Friday, July 2nd, from 6 to 9pm.  For more information call 805. 778-0886. 

How stressed are you?  Leave it all behind and attend one of these artist receptions.