Walls Without Art are Depressing

My bathroom before and after hanging my painting.
Shown here: Magic of Chaco Canyon, 12 x 12 inches,
Mixed Media on Wood, framed, copyright 2009 Mary Gravelle.
This painting has such depth that it takes my mind away to magical
places like Chaco Canyon that inspired its creation.

Living with walls without art is depressing. Imagine staring at blank walls. If you walk around a house with no art on the walls, there is no life force available to you but your own. So, you had better have strong life force if you live in such a place!

Art makes us more considerate thinkers. – 8 Reasons Why Art Improves Your Thinking

I recently took many of my paintings off my walls to exhibit them in other places. Oh my, the place became depressing to live in. My walls are white. My paintings energize me and the space they hang in. I had to scour my storage to find pieces to hang quickly. It feels so much better in here now that I took the time to do that.

That is one of the reasons why Damian Bruno, the realtor who asked me to add color to his house listing wanted paintings hanging in the house for his open house. When I walked into the Sedona dome home, there were expansive white walls. Yes, it needed color! My paintings did the trick. He was happy. The home was happy.

"The effect of walls on residents is almost subliminal, and these days, with so many modern ways of improving the feng shui of our surroundings, there is simply no excuse to get careless about our walls." – Article on Creating Fabulous and Auspicious Walls

Before and After: My front door entryway.
The painting shown here is an experimental piece I did
so many years ago I don't remember what year I painted it.
I have always loved it. It adds good cheer to the entry of my space.

"Art accesses some of the most advanced processes of human intuitive analysis and expressivity and a key form of aesthetic appreciation is through embodied cognition, the ability to project oneself as an agent in the depicted scene," said Christopher Tyler, director of the Smith-Kettlewell Brain Imaging Center, during the related panel discussion.–Research by Dana Foundation: How Engaging with Art Affects the Human Brain

What is your experience with blank walls? How has art energized your space?

My art is ready and available to energize your space. Check out my website for your browsing pleasure.

Until Next Week

• Create art
• Appreciate art
• Buy art

Braylee Rush (Mary Gravelle)

The handsome, Sir Kitty. Meow.

About the author: Braylee Rush (Mary Gravelle) is an artist and writer who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved assistant, Sir Kitty.